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Bank  of  Saii\) 


SPUR  (i EON 


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^xam  tijj  Htbrarg  of 

Profipfiflor  Sftijamtn  Mv^kinvXh^t  WnvMh 

l?r|upatl|p6  by  iyim  tn 

tlyp  Sltbrarg  of 

Prtttrrton  Sli^fllngtral  S>Fmtttar^ 

BV  4811  .S67  1889 
Spurgeon,  C.  H.  1834-1892. 

of  fai?r  ^"""^  ""^  ^^^  ^^^^ 


ii^i^<-^ii>-^  /'^  ^  / 


THE    CHEQUE     BOOK 


OF 


THE     BANK     OF     FAITH. 


f?c  Cf^cquc  ^ook 


Cljc  23anfv  of  Sait^. 


Being  Precious  Promises  arranged  for 
Daily  Use. 

With  Brief  Experimental  Comments, 


1/ 

C.     H  .      SPU  RGEO  N, 


New  York  : 

A.  C. 

ARMSTRONG  & 
714  Broadway. 

1889. 

SON, 

J. 

Pub! 

yi/I  rights  rtstrvfJ. 

T/tibLL 

PREFACE. 


A  PROMISE  from  God  may  very  instructively  be  com- 
pared to  a  cheque  payable  to  order.  It  is  given  to 
the  believer  with  the  view  of  bestowing  upon  him  some  good 
thing.  It  is  not  meant  that  he  should  read  it  over  com- 
fortably, and  then  have  done  with  it.  No,  he  is  to  treat 
the  promise  as  a  reality,  as  a  man  treats  a  cheque. 

He  is  to  take  the  promise,  and  endorse  it  with  his  own 
name  by  personally  receiving  it  as  true.  He  is  by  faith  to 
accept  it  as  his  own.  He  sets  to  his  seal  that  God  is  true, 
and  true  as  to  this  particular  word  of  promise.  He  goes 
further,  and  believes  that  he  has  the  blessing  in  having  the 
sure  promise  of  it,  and  therefore  he  puts  his  name  to  it  to 
tes'ify  to  the  receipt  of  the  blessing. 

This  done,  he  must  beiievingly  prcsetii  the  promise  to  the 
Lord,  as  a  man  presents  a  cheque  at  the  counter  of  the 
Bank.  He  must  plead  it  by  prayer,  expecting  to  have  it 
fulfilled.  If  he  has  come  to  heaven's  bank  at  the  right  date, 
he  will  receive  the  promised  amount  at  once.  If  the  date 
should  happen  to  be  further  on,  he  must  patiently  wait  till 
its  arrival  ;  but  meanwhile  he  may  count  the  promise  as 
money,  for  the  Bank  is  sure  to  pay  when  the  due  time 
arrives. 

Some  fail  to  place  the  endorsement  of  faith  upon  the 
cheque,  and  so  they  get  nothing ;  and  others  are  slack  in 


VI  PREFACE. 

presenting  it,  and  these  also  receive  nothing.  This  is  not 
the  fault  of  the  promise,  but  of  those  who  do  not  act  with 
it  in  a  common-sense,  business-like  manner. 

God  has  given  no  pledge  which  he  will  not  redeem,  and 
encouraged  no  hope  which  he  will  not  fulfil.  To  help  my 
brethren  to  believe  this,  I  ha\e  prepared  this  little  volume. 
The  sight  of  ihc  promises  themselves  is  good  for  the  eyes  of 
faith  :  the  more  we  study  the  words  of  grace,  the  more  grace 
shall  we  derive  from  the  words.  To  the  cheering  Scriptures 
I  have  added  testimonies  of  my  own,  the  fruit  of  trial  and 
experience.  I  believe  all  the  promises  of  God,  but  many  of 
them  I  have  personally  tried  and  proved.  I  have  seen  that 
they  are  true,  for  they  have  been  fulfilled  to  me.  This,  I 
trust,  may  be  cheering  to  the  young  ;  and  not  without  solace 
to  the  older  sort.  One  man's  experience  may  be  of  the 
utmost  use  to  another  ;  and  this  is  why  the  man  of  God  of 
old  wrote,  "I  sought  the  Lord,  and  he  heard  me";  and 
again,  "  This  poor  man  cried,  and  the  Lord  heard  him." 

I  commenced  these  daily  portions  when  I  was  wading  in 
the  surf  of  controversy.  Since  then  I  have  been  cast  into 
"waters  to  swim  in",  which,  but  for  God's  upholding  hanH, 
would  have  proved  waters  to  drown  in.  I  have  endured 
tribulation  from  many  flails.  Sharp  bodily  pain  succeeded 
mental  depression,  and  this  was  accompanied  both  by 
bereavement,  and  affliction  in  the  person  of  one  dear  as 
life.  The  waters  rolled  in  continually,  wave  upon  wave.  I 
do  not  mention  this  to  exact  sympathy,  but  simply  to  let  the 
reader  see  that  I  am  no  dry-land  sailor.  1  have  traversed 
those  oceans  which  are  not  Pacific  full  many  a  time :  I  know 
the  roll  of  the  billows,  and  the  rush  of  the  winds.  Never 
were  the  promises  of  Jehovah  so  precious  to  me  as  at  this 
hour.  Some  of  them  I  never  understood  till  now  ;  I  had 
not  reached  the  date  at  which  they  matured,  for  I  was  not 
myself  mature  enough  to  perceive  their  meaning. 


PREFACE.  VII 

How  much  more  wonderful  is  the  Bible  to  me  now  than 
it  was  a  few  montiis  ago  !  In  obeying  the  Lord,  and  bearing 
his  reproach  outside  the  camp,  I  have  not  received  new 
promises  ;  but  the  result  to  me  is  much  the  same  as  if  I  had 
done  so,  for  the  old  ones  have  opened  up  to  me  with  richer 
stores.  Specially  has  the  Word  of  the  Lord  to  his  servant 
Jeremiah  sounded  exceedingly  sweet  in  mine  ears.  His  lot 
it  was  to  speak  to  those  who  would  not  hear,  or  hearing, 
would  not  believe.  His  was  the  sorrow  which  conies  of 
disappointed  love,  and  resolute  loyally  ;  he  would  have 
turned  his  people  from  their  errors,  but  he  would  not  him- 
self quit  the  way  of  the  Lord.  For  him  there  were  words 
of  deep  sustaining  power,  which  kept  his  mind  from  failing 
where  nature  unaided  must  have  sunk.  These  and  such 
like  golden  sentences  of  grace  I  have  loved  more  than  my 
necessary  food,  and  with  them  I  have  enriched  these  pages. 

Oh,  that  I  might  comfort  some  of  my  Master's  servants  ! 
I  have  wriltt-n  out  of  my  own  heart  with  the  view  of  com- 
forting their  hearts.  I  would  say  to  them  in  their  trials — 
My  brethren,  God  is  good.  He  will  not  forsake  you  :  he 
will  bear  you  through.  There  is  a  promise  prepared  for 
your  present  emergencies  ;  and  if  you  will  believe  and  plead 
it  at  the  mercy-seat  through  Jesus  Christ,  you  shall  see  the 
hand  of  the  Lord  stretched  out  to  help  you.  Everything 
else  will  fail,  but  his  word  never  will.  He  has  been  to  me 
so  faithful  in  countless  instances  that  I  must  encourage  you 
to  trust  him.  I  should  be  ungrateful  to  God  and  unkind  to 
you  if  I  did  not  do  so. 

May  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  Comforter,  inspire  the  people  of 
the  Lord  with  fresh  faith  I  I  know  that,  without  his  divine 
power,  all  that  I  can  say  will  be  of  no  avail  ;  but,  under 
his  quickening  influence,  even  the  humblest  testimony  will 
confirm  feeble  knees,  and  strengthen  weak  hands.  God  is 
glorified  when  his  servants  trust  him  implicitly.     We  cannot 


via  PREFACE. 

be  too  much  of  children  with  our  heavenly  Father.  Our 
young  ones  ask  no  question  about  our  will  or  our  power, 
but  having  once  received  a  promise  from  father,  they  rejoice 
in  the  prospect  of  its  fulfilment,  never  doubting  that  it  is 
sure  as  the  sun.  May  many  readers,  whom  I  may  never 
see,  discover  the  duty  and  delight  of  such  child-like  trust  in 
God  while  they  are  reading  the  little  bit  which  I  have 
prepared  for  each  day  in  the  year. 

For  long  years  several  thousands  of  God's  people  have 
read  my  Morning  by  Morning  and  Evening  bv 
Evening,  and  many  of  them  have  been  good  enough  to 
write  me,  and  acknowledge  the  benefit  of  such  a  perusal. 
I  hope  this  little  book  will  not  interfere  with  those  volumes. 
These  daily  portions  are  gathered  from  a  more  varied  range 
of  topics,  and  are  all  the  more  profitable  because  they  deal 
with  doctrine,  experience,  practice,  and  everything  else. 
This  is  a  sweetmeat  of  promise  only,  and  it  must  not 
interfere  with  the  fuller  meals  :  nay,  rather,  I  hope  it  will 
excite  a  desire  for  them. 

May  our  Lord  Jesus  accept  this  my  service  for  his  sheep 
and  lambs,  from 

His  unworthy  Servant, 


By  agreement  with  Messrs.  Passmore  &  Alabaster,  and 
with  my  full  authority,  this  book  is  published  in  America  by 
Messrs.  Armstrong  &  Son,  of  New  York. 

C.    H.   S. 


f?c  Cl?equc  15ook 


(LI?e  25ank   of  5ait\}. 


Jan.  I.  jFaitfj's  Cfjfquf  Boolt.  l 

"And  I  will  put  enmity  between  thee  and  the  woman, 
and  between  thy  seed  and  her  seed ;  it  shall  bruise  thy  heady 
and  thou  shalt  bruise  his  heel." — Gen.  iii.  15. 

THIS   is  the  first  promise  to  fallen   man.      It 
contains  the  whole  gospel,  and  the  essence 
of  the  covenant   of  grace.     It  has  been   in  great 
measure  fulfilled.     The  seed  of  the  woman,  even 
our  Lord   Jesus,  was  bruised   in   his  heel,  and  a 
terrible  bruising  it  was.     How  terrible  will  be  the 
final    bruising  of  the  serpent's   head !      This   was 
virtually  done  when    Jesus   took    away   sin,    van- 
quished death,  and  broke  the  power  of  Satan  ;  but 
it  awaits  a  still  fuller  accomplishment  at  our  Lord's 
Second    Advent,   and    in    the   day   of    Judgment, 
To   us   the   promise    stands   as   a   prophecy   that 
we  shall  be  afflicted  by  the  powers  of  evil  in  our 
lower  nature,  and  thus  bruised  in  our  heel :  but  we 
shall  triumph  in  Christ,  who  sets  his  foot  on  the 
old  serpent's  head.     Throughout  this  year  we  may 
have  to  learn  the  first  part  of  this  promise  by  ex- 
perience, through  the  temptations  of  the  devil,  and 
the  unkindness  of  the  ungodly  who  are  his  seed. 
They  may  so  bruise  us  that  we  may  limp  with  our 
sore  heel  ;  but  let  us  grasp  the  second  part  of  the 
text,  and  we  shall  not  be  dismayed.     By  faith  let 
us  rejoice  that  we  shall  still  reign  in  Christ  Jesus, 
the  woman's  seed. 

t 


a  JFaillj's  Cfjrqiic  Book.  Jan  2. 

^^And  the  God  of  peace  shall  bruise  Satan  under  your 
feet  shortly." — Rom.  xvi.  20. 

THIS  promise  follows  well  upon  that  of  yester- 
day. We  are  evidently  to  be  conformed  to 
our  covenant  Head,  not  only  in  his  being  bruised 
in  his  heel,  but  in  his  conquest  of  the  evil  one. 
Even  under  our  feet  is  the  old  dragon  to  be  bruised. 
The  Roman  believers  were  grieved  with  strife  in 
the  church;  but  their  God  was  ''the  God  of  peace," 
and  gave  them  rest  of  soul.  The  arch-enemy 
tripped  up  the  feet  of  the  unwary,  and  deceived 
the  hearts  of  the  simple ;  but  he  was  to  get  the 
worst  of  it,  and  to  be  trodden  down  by  those  whom 
he  had  troubled.  This  victory  would  not  come  to 
the  people  of  God  through  their  own  skill  or  power; 
but  God  himself  would  bruise  Satan.  Though  it 
would  be  under  their  feet,  yet  the  bruising  would 
be  of  the  Lord  alone. 

Let  us  bravely  tread  upon  the  tempter !  Not 
only  inferior  spirits,  but  the  Prince  of  darkness 
himself  must  go  down  before  us.  In  unquestioning 
confidence  in  God,  let  us  look  for  speedy  victory, 
"  Shortly."  Happy  word  !  Shortly  we  shall  set 
our  foot  on  the  old  serpent !  What  a  joy  to  crush 
evil !  What  dishonour  to  Satan  to  have  his  head 
bruised  by  human  feet !  Let  us  by  faith  in  Jesus 
tread  the  tempter  down. 


Jan.  3.  jFaitfj'a  Cljcque  13aoIt.  3 

"77/^  land  whereon  thou  liest,  to  f/ire  will  I  give  it." 
Gen.  xxviii.  13. 

NO  promise  is  of  private  interpretation  :  it 
belongs  not  to  one  saint,  but  to  all  believers. 
If,  my  brother,  thou  canst  in  faith  lie  down  upon 
a  promise,  and  take  thy  rest  thereon,  it  is  thine. 
Where  Jacob  "  h'ghted,"  and  tarried,  and  rested, 
there  he  took  possession.  Stretching  his  weary 
length  upon  the  ground,  with  the  stones  of  that 
place  for  his  pillows,  he  little  fancied  that  he  was 
thus  entering  into  ownership  of  the  land  ;  and  yet 
so  it  was.  He  saw  in  his  dream  that  wondrous 
ladder  which  for  all  true  believers  unites  earth  and 
heaven  ;  and  surely  where  the  foot  of  the  ladder 
stood  he  must  have  a  right  to  the  soil,  for  other- 
wise he  could  not  reach  the  divine  stairway.  All 
the  promises  of  God  are  Yea  and  Amen  in  Christ 
Jesus  ;  and  as  he  is  ours,  every  promise  is  ours  if 
we  will  but  lie  down  upon  it  in  restful  faith. 

Come,  weary  one,  use  thy  Lord's  words  as  thy 
pillov/s.  Lie  down  in  peace.  Dream  only  of  Him. 
Jesus  is  thy  ladder  of  light.  See  the  angels 
coming  and  going  upon  him  between  thy  soul  and 
thy  God  ;  and  be  sure  that  the  promise  is  thine 
own  God-given  portion,  and  that  it  will  not  be 
robbery  for  thee  to  take  it  to  thyself,  as  spoken 
specially  to  tJue. 


4  iFai'tlj'g  Cfirque  13aoIt.  Jan.  4. 

'■^  I  will  make  them  to  lie  doivn  safely. ^^ — Hosea  ii.  18. 

YES,  tJie  Saints  are  to  have  peace.  The  passage 
from  which  this  gracious  word  is  taken  speaks 
of  peace  "  with  the  beasts  of  the  field,  and  with  the 
fowls  of  heaven,  and  with  the  creeping  things  of  the 
ground."  This  is  peace  with  earthly  enemies,  with 
mysterious  evils,  and  with  little  annoyances !  Any 
of  these  might  keep  us  from  lying  down,  but  none 
of  them  shall  do  so.  The  Lord  will  quite  destroy 
those  things  which  threaten  his  people :  "  I  will 
break  the  bow  and  the  sword,  and  the  battle  out 
of  the  earth."  Peace  will  be  profound  indeed  when 
all  the  instruments  of  disquiet  are  broken  to 
pieces. 

With  this  peace  xvill  come  rest.  "  So  he  giveth 
his  beloved  sleep."  Fully  supplied  and  divinely 
quieted,  believers  lie  down  in  calm  repose. 

TJiis  rest  ivill  be  a  safe  one.  It  is  one  thing  to 
lie  down,  but  quite  another  "to  lie  down  safely." 
We  are  brought  to  the  land  of  promise,  the  house  of 
the  Father,  the  chamber  of  love,  and  the  bosom 
of  Christ:  surely  we  may  now  "lie  down  safely." 
It  is  safer  for  a  believer  to  lie  down  in  peace  than 
to  sit  up  and  worry. 

"  He  maketh  me  to  lie  down  in  green  pastures." 
We  never  rest  till  the  Comforter  makes  us  lie 
down. 


Jan.  5.  iTaitfj'g  Cljfqite  BaoTt.  S 

'■^  1  will  strengthen  iliee." — Isa.  xli.  10. 

WHEN  called  to  serve  or  to  sufifcr,  we  take 
stock  of  our  strength,  and  we  find  it  to  be 
less  than  we  thought,  and  less  than  we  need.  But 
let  not  our  heart  sink  within  us  while  we  have  such 
a  word  as  this  to  fall  back  upon,  for  it  guarantees 
us  all  that  we  can  possibly  need.  God  has  strength 
omnipotent ;  that  strength  he  can  communicate  to 
us  ;  and  his  promise  is  that  he  will  do  so.  He  will 
be  the  food  of  our  souls,  and  the  health  of  our 
hearts ;  and  thus  he  will  give  us  strength.  There 
is  no  telling  how  much  power  God  can  put  into 
a  man.  When  divine  strength  comes,  human 
weakness  is  no  more  a  hindrance. 

Do  we  not  remember  seasons  of  labour  and  trial 
in  which  we  received  such  special  strength  that 
we  wondered  at  ourselves?  In  the  midst  of  danger 
we  were  calm,  under  bereavement  we  were  resigned, 
in  slander  we  were  self-contained,  and  in  sickness 
we  were  patient.  The  fact  is,  that  God  gives  un- 
expected strength  when  unusual  trials  come  upon 
us.  We  rise  out  of  our  feeble  selves.  Cowards 
play  the  man,  foolish  ones  have  wisdom  given 
them,  and  the  silent  receive  in  the  self-same  hour 
what  they  shall  speak.  My  own  weakness  makes 
me  shrink,  but  God's  promise  makes  mc  brave. 
Lord,  strengthen  me  "  according  to  thy  word." 


6  iTaitlj's  ©f)rquE  Book  Jan.  6. 

"Vea,  I  will  help  thee!'' — La.  xH.  lo. 

YESTERDAY'S  promise  secured  us  strength 
for  what  we  have  to  do,  but  this  guarantees 
us  aid  in  cases  where  we  cannot  act  alone.  The 
Lord  says,  "  I  will  help  thee."  Strength  within  is 
supplemented  by  help  without.  God  can  raise 
us  up  allies  in  our  warfare  if  so  it  seems  good  in 
his  sight ;  and  even  if  he  does  not  send  us  human 
assistance,  he  himself  will  be  at  our  side,  and  this 
is  better  still.  "Our  August  Ally"  is  better  than 
legions  of  mortal  helpers. 

His  help  is  timely  :  he  is  a  very  present  help  in 
time  of  trouble.  His  help  is  very  wise  :  he  knows 
how  to  give  each  man  help  meet  and  fit  for  him. 
His  help  is  most  effectual,  though  vain  is  the  help 
of  man.  His  help  is  more  than  help,  for  he  bears 
all  the  burden,  and  supplies  all  the  need.  "  The 
Lord  is  my  helper,  I  will  not  fear  what  man  can  do 
unto  me." 

Because  he  has  already  been  our  help,  we  feel 
confidence  in  him  for  the  present  and  the  future. 
Our  prayer  is,  "Lord,  be  thou  my  helper";  our 
experience  is,  "  The  Spirit  also  hclpcth  our  in- 
firmities"; our  expectation  is,  "I  will  lift  up  mine 
eyes  unto  the  hills,  whence  cometh  my  help  "  ;  and 
our  song  soon  will  be,  "  Thou,  Lord,  hast  holpen 
me. 


Jan.  7.  Sfaiilfa  Cfjrque  Baolf.  7 

"  T/iou  shalt  see  greater  thi?igs  than  these." — jolm  i.  50. 

THIS  is  spoken  to  a  childlike  believer,  who  was 
ready  to  accept  Jesus  as  the  Son  of  God,  the 
King  of  Israel,  upon  one  convincing  piece  of  argu- 
ment. Those  who  are  willing  to  see  shall  sec  :  it 
is  because  we  shut  our  eyes  that  we  become  so 
sadly  blind. 

We  have  seen  much  already.  Great  things  and 
unsearchable  has  the  Lord  showed  unto  us,  for 
wliich  we  praise  his  name  ;  but  there  are  greater 
truths  in  his  Word,  greater  depths  of  experience, 
greater  heights  of  fellowship,  greater  works  of  use- 
fulness, greater  discoveries  of  power,  and  love,  and 
wisdom.  These  we  are  yet  to  see  if  we  are  willing 
to  believe  our  Lord.  The  faculty  of  inventing  false 
doctrine  is  ruinous,  but  power  to  see  the  truth  is  a 
blessing.  Heaven  shall  be  opened  to  us,  the  way 
thither  shall  be  made  clear  to  us  in  the  Son  of 
man,  and  the  angelic  commerce  which  goes  on 
between  the  upper  and  the  lower  kingdoms  shall 
be  made  more  nianifest  to  us.  Let  us  keep  our  eyes 
open  towards  spiritual  objects,  and  expect  to  see 
more  and  more.  Let  us  believe  that  our  lives  will 
not  drivel  down  into  nothing,  but  that  we  shall 
be  always  on  the  growing  hand,  seeing  greater  and 
still  greater  things,  till  we  behold  the  Great  God 
himself,  and  never  again  lose  the  sight  of  him. 


8  iFaftlj's  Cljque  Baoft.  Jan.  8. 

^'■B/essed  are  the  pure  in  heart :  for  they  shall  see  God" 
Matt.  V.  8. 

PURITY,  even  purity  of  heart,  is  the  main 
thing  to  be  aimed  at.  We  need  to  be  made 
clean  within  through  the  Spirit  ^nd  the  Word,  and 
then  we  shall  be  clean  without  by  consecration  and 
obedience.  There  is  a  close  connection  between 
the  affections  and  the  understanding :  if  we  love 
evil,  we  cannot  understand  that  which  is  good.  If 
the  heart  is  foul,  the  eye  will  be  dim.  How  can 
those  men  see  a  holy  God  who  love  unholy  things .'' 
What  a  privilege  it  is  to  see  God  here  I  A 
glimpse  of  him  is  heaven  below !  In  Christ  Jesus 
the  pure  in  heart  behold  the  Father.  We  see  him, 
his  truth,  his  love,  his  purpose,  his  sovereignty,  his 
covenant  character,  yea,  we  see  himself  in  Christ. 
But  this  is  only  apprehended  as  sin  is  kept  out 
of  the  heart.  Only  those  who  aim  at  godliness 
can  cry,  "  Mine  eyes  are  ever  towards  the  Lord." 
The  desire  of  Moses,  "  I  beseech  thee,  show  me 
thy  glory,"  can  only  be  fulfilled  in  us  as  we  purify 
ourselves  from  all  iniquity.  We  shall  "  see  him 
as  he  is";  and  "every  one  that  hath  this  hope  in 
him  purifieth  himself."  The  enjoyment  of  present 
fellowship  and  the  hope  of  the  beatific  vision  are 
urgent  motives  for  purity  of  heart  and  life.  Lord, 
make  us  pure  in  heart,  that  we  may  see  thee! 


Jan.  9.  jFnitIj'0  (Cfjfquc  BooU. 


"  The  liberal  soul  shall  be  tnade  fatT — Prov.  xi.  25. 


IF  I  desire  to  flourish  in  soul,  I  must  not  hoard 
up  my  stores,  but  must  distribute  to  the  poor. 
To  be  close  and  niggardly  is  the  world's  way  to 
prosperity,  but  it  is  not  God's  way,  for  he  saith. 
"There  is  that  scattereth,  and  yet, increaseth  ;  and 
there  is  that  withholdeth  more  than* is  meet,  and  it 
tendeth  to  poverty."  Faith's  way  of  gaining  is 
giving.  I  must  try  this  again  and  again  ;  and  I 
may  expect  that  as  much  of  prosperity  as  will  be 
good  for  me  will  come  to  me  as  a  gracious  reward 
for  a  liberal  course  of  action. 

Of  course,  I  may  not  be  sure  of  growing  rich.  I 
shall  be  fat,  but  not  too  fat.  Too  great  riches 
might  make  me  as  unwieldy  as  corpulent  persons 
usually  are,  and  cause  me  the  dyspepsia  of  worldli- 
ness,  and  perhaps  bring  on  a  fatty  degeneration  of 
the  heart.  No,  if  I  am  fat  enough  to  be  healthy,  I 
may  well  be  satisfied  ;  and  if  the  Lord  grants  me  a 
competence,  I  may  be  thoroughly  content. 

But  there  is  a  mental  and  spiritual  fatness  which 
I  would  greatly  covet ;  and  these  come  as  the 
result  of  generous  thoughts  towards  my  God,  his 
church,  and  my  fellow-men.  Let  me  not  stint,  lest 
I  starve  my  heart.  Let  me  be  bountiful,  and  liberal ; 
for  so  shall  I  be  like  my  Lord.  He  gave  himself 
for  me  :  shall  I  grudge  him  anything  ? 


lo  JFaitlj's  Cfjeqiie  Baoft.  Jam.  io. 

*^  He  that  tvatereth  shall  be  watered  also  himself." 

Prov.  xi.  215. 

IF  I  carefully  consider  others,  God  will  consider 
me  ;  and  in  some  way  or  other  he  will  recom- 
pense me.  Let  me  consider  the  poor,  and  the  Lord 
will  consider  me.  Let  me  look  after  little  children, 
and  the  Lord  will  treat  me  as  his  child.  Let  me 
feed  his  flock,  and  he  will  feed  me.  Let  me  water 
his  garden,  and  he  will  make  a  watered  garden  of 
my  soul.  This  is  the  Lord's  own  promise  ;  be  it 
mine  to  fulfil  the  condition,  and  then  to  expect 
its  fulfilment. 

I  may  care  about  myself  till  I  grow  morbid  ;  I 
may  watch  over  my  own  feelings  till  I  feel  nothing; 
and  I  may  lament  my  own  weakness  till  I  grow 
almost  too  weak  to  lament.  It  will  be  far  more 
profitable  for  me  to  become  unselfish,  and  out  of 
love  to  my  Lord  Jesus  begin  to  care  for  the  souls 
of  those  around  me.  My  tank  is  getting  very  low  ; 
no  fresh  rain  comes  to  fill  it ;  what  shall  I  do  .''  I 
will  pull  up  the  plug,  and  let  its  contents  run  out 
to  water  the  withering  plants  around  me.  What 
do  I  see  ?  My  cistern  seems  to  fill  as  it  flows.  A 
secret  spring  is  at  work.  While  all  was  stagnant, 
the  fresh  spring  was  sealed  ;  but  as  my  stock  flows 
out  to  water  others  the  Lord  thinketh  upon  me. 
Hallelujah  I 


Jan.  If.  i/attlj*g  Cljcquc  Dooft.  II 

'^Afid  it  shall  cpnie  to  pass,  when  I  bring  a  cloud  over 
the  earth,    that  the   bow   shall   be  seen    in    the    cloud." 
Gen.  ix.  14- 

JUST  now  clouds  are  plentiful  enough,  but  we 
are  not  aiVaid  that  the  world  will  be  destroyed 
by  a  deluge.  We  see  the  rainbow  often  enough  to 
prevent  our  having  any  such  fears.  The  covenant 
which  the  Lord  made  with  Noah  stands  fast,  and 
we  have  no  doubts  about  it.  Why,  then,  should 
we  think  that  the  clouds  of  trouble,  which  now 
darken  our  sky,  will  end  in  our  destruction  ?  Let 
us  dismiss  such  groundless  and  dishonouring  fears. 
Faith  always  sees  the  bow  of  covenant  promise 
whenever  sense  sees  the  cloud  of  affliction.  God 
has  a  bow  with  which  he  might  shoot  out  his 
arrows  of  destruction  ;  but  see !  it  is  turned  up- 
ward. It  is  a  bow  without  an  arrow  or  a  string ; 
it  is  a  bow  hung  out  for  show,  no  longer  used  for  war. 
It  is  a  bow  of  many  colours,  expressing  joy  ani 
delight,  and  not  a  bow  blood-red  with  slaughtei; 
or  black  with  anger.  Let  us  be  of  good  courage. 
Never  does  God  so  darken  our  sky  as  to  leave  his 
covenant  without  a  witness  ;  and  even  if  he  did, 
we  would  trust  him,  since  he  cannot  change,  or  lie, 
or  in  any  other  way  fail  to  keep  his  covenant  of 
peace.  Until  the  waters  go  over  the  earth  again, 
we  shall  have  no  reason  for  doubting  our  God. 


la  Jaitfi's  (Cljrque  Book.  Jan  12. 

*^  For  the  Lord  tcill  not  cast  off  for  ever." — Lament,  iii.  31. 

HE  may  cast  away  for  a  season,  but  not  for  ever, 
A  woman  may  leave  off  her  ornaments  for 
a  few  days,  but  she  will  not  forget  them,  nor  throw 
them  upon  the  dunghill.  It  is  not  like  the  Lord  to 
cast  off  those  whom  he  loves  :  for,  "  having  loved 
his  own  which  were  in  the  world,  he  loved  them 
unto  the  end."  Some  talk  of  our  being  in  grace 
and  out  of  it,  as  if  we  were  like  rabbits  that  run  in 
and  out  of  their  burrows :  but,  indeed,  it  is  not  so. 
The  Lord's  love  is  a  far  more  serious  and  abiding 
matter  than  this. 

He  chose  us  from  eternity,  and  he  will  love  us 
throughout  eternity.  He  loved  us  so  as  to  die  for 
us,  and  we  may  therefore  be  sure  that  his  love  will 
never  die.  His  honour  is  so  wrapt  up  in  the  salva- 
tion of  the  believer,  that  he  can  no  more  cast  him 
off  than  he  can  cast  off  his  own  robes  of  office 
as  King  of  glory.  No,  no  !  The  Lord  Jesus,  as  a 
Head,  never  casts  off  his  members  ;  as  a  Husband, 
he  never  casts  off  his  bride. 

Did  you  think  you  were  cast  off?  Why  did  you 
think  so  evil  of  the  Lord  who  has  betrothed  you  to 
himself?  Cast  off  such  thoughts,  and  never  let 
them  lodge  in  your  soul  again.  "  The  Lord  hath 
not  cast  away  his  people  which  he  foreknew " 
(Rom.  xi.  2).  "Hehateth  putting  away"  (Mai.  ii.  16). 


Jaw.  13.  iFaitlj'a  €[)rq«r  33ooIt.  13 

'^  JJi/n  that  comith  to  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out.^' 
John  vi.  37. 

IS  there  any  instance  of  our  Lord's  casting  out  a 
coming  one  ?  If  there  be  so,  we  would  h'ke  to 
know  of  it;  but  there  has  been  none,  and  there  never 
will  be.  Among  the  lost  souls  in  hell  there  is  not 
one  that  can  say,  "  I  went  to  Jesus,  and  he  refused 
me."  It  is  not  possible  that  you  or  I  should  be  the 
first  to  whom  Jesus  shall  break  his  word.  Let  us 
not  entertain  so  dark  a  suspicion. 

Suppose  we  go  to  Jesus  now  ab:)ut  the  evils  of 
to-day.  Of  this  we  may  be  sure — he  will  not  refuse 
us  audience,  or  cast  us  out.  Those  of  us  who 
have  often  been,  and  those  who  have  never  gone 
before — let  us  go  together,  and  we  shall  see  that 
he  will  not  shut  the  door  of  his  grace  in  the  face 
of  any  one  of  us. 

"This  man  receiveth  sinners," but  he  repulses  none. 
We  come  to  him  in  weakness  and  sin,  with  trem- 
bling faith,  and  small  knowledge,  and  slender 
hope ;  but  he  does  not  cast  us  out.  We  come  by 
prayer,  and  that  prayer  broken  ;  with  confession, 
and  that  confession  faulty ;  with  praise,  and  tha^ 
praise  far  short  of  his  merits  ;  but  yet  he  receives  us. 
We  come  diseased,  polluted,  worn  out,  and  worth- 
less;  but  he  doth  in  no  wise  cast  us  out.  Let  us 
come  again  to-day  to  him  who  never  casts  us  out 


14  Jai'tf)'3  Cf)eque  tjooh  Jan.  14. 

"  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy  laden^ 
and  I  will  give  you  rest."— Matt.  xi.  28. 

WE  who  are  saved  find  rest  in  Jesus.  Those 
who  are  not  saved  will  receive  rest  if  they 
come  to  him,  for  here  he  promises  to  "  give "  it. 
Nothing  can  be  freer  than  a  gift  ;  let  us  gladly 
accept  what  he  gladly  gives.  You  are  not  to  buy 
it,  nor  to  borrow  it ;  but  to  receive  it  as  a  gift.  You 
labour  under  the  lash  of  ambition,  covetousness, 
lust,  or  anxiety :  he  will  set  you  free  from  this  iron 
bondage,  and  give  you  rest.  You  are  "  laden  " — 
yes,  "  heavy  laden "  with  sin,  fear,  care,  remorse, 
fear  of  death  ;  but  if  you  come  to  him,  he  will 
unload  you.  He  carried  the  crushing  mass  of  our 
sin,  that  we  might  no  longer  carry  it.  He  made 
himself  the  great  Burden-bearer,  that  every  heavy 
laden  one  might  cease  from  bowing  down  under 
the  enormous  pressure. 

Jesus  gives  rest.  It  is  so.  Will  you  believe  it? 
Will  you  put  it  to  the  test?  W^ill  you  do  so  at 
once .''  Come  to  Jesus,  by  quitting  every  other 
hope,  by  thinking  of  him,  believing  God's  testi- 
mony about  him,  and  trusting  everything  with  him. 
If  you  thus  come  to  him,  the  rest  which  he  will 
give  you  will  be  deep,  safe,  holy,  and  everlasting. 
He  gives  a  rest  which  develops  into  heaven,  and  he 
gives  it  this  day  to  all  who  come  to  him. 


Jan.  IS-  jFaitb's  CfjequE  Book.  15 


"For  the  needy  shall  not  alway  be  forgotten  :  the 
expectation  of  the  poor  shall  not  perish  for  ever." — rs.  ix.  18. 

POVERTY  is  a  hard  heritage ;  but  those  who 
trust  in  the  Lord  are  made  rich  by  faith. 
They  know  that  they  are  not  forgotten  of  God  ; 
and  though  it  may  seem  that  they  are  overlooked 
in  his  providential  distribution  of  good  things,  they 
look  for  a  time  when  all  this  shall  be  righted. 
Lazarus  will  not  always  lie  among  the  dogs  at 
the  rich  man's  gate,  but  he  will  have  his  recom- 
pense in  Abraham's  bosom. 

Even  now  the  Lord  remembers  his  poor  but 
precious  sons.  "  I  am  poor  and  needy ;  yet  the 
Lord  thinketh  upon  me,"  said  one  of  old  ;  and  it 
is  even  so.  The  godly  poor  have  great  expecta- 
tions. They  expect  the  Lord  to  provide  them  all 
things  necessary  for  this  life  and  godliness  ;  they 
expect  to  see  all  things  working  for  their  good  ; 
they  expect  to  have  all  the  closer  fellowship  with 
their  Lord,  who  had  not  where  to  lay  his  head  ; 
they  expect  his  Second  Advent,  and  to  share  its 
glory.  This  expectation  cannot  perish,  for  it  is 
laid  up  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  liveth  for  ever ;  and 
because  he  lives,  it  shall  live  also.  The  poor  saint 
singeth  many  a  song  which  the  rich  sinner  cannot 
understand.  Wherefore,  let  us,  when  we  ha\e  short 
commons  below,  think  of  the  royal  table  above. 


1 6  iFattf)'s  CIjfquE  Book.  Jan.  i6. 

''^  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  whosoever  shall  call  on 
the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be  delivered." — joel  ii.  32. 

XT  7HY  do  I  not  call  on  his  name?  Why  do 
V  V  I  run  to  this  neighbour  and  that,  when 
God  is  so  near  and  will  bear  my  faintest  call  ? 
Why  do  I  sit  down,  and  devise  schemes,  and  in- 
vent plans?  Why  not  at  once  roll  myself  and 
my  burden  upon  the  Lord  ?  Straightforward  is 
the  best  runner — why  do  I  not  run  at  once  to 
the  living  God?  In  vain  shall  I  look  for  deliver- 
ance anywhere  else ;  but  with  God  I  shall  find 
it ;  for  here  I  have  his  royal  SHALL  to  make  it 
sure. 

I  need  not  ask  whether  I  may  call  on  him  or  not, 
for  that  word  "  Whosoever "  is  a  very  wide  and 
comprehensive  one.  Whosoever  means  me,  for  it 
means  anybody  and  everybody  who  calls  upon  God. 
I  will  therefore  follow  the  leading  of  the  text,  and 
at  once  call  upon  the  glorious  Lord  who  has  made 
so  large  a  promise. 

My  case  is  urgent,  and  I  do  not  see  how  I  am  to 
be  delivered  ;  but  this  is  no  business  of  mine.  He 
who  makes  the  promise  will  find  out  ways  and 
means  of  keeping  it.  It  is  mine  to  obey  his  com- 
mands ;  it  is  not  mine  to  direct  his  counsels.  I 
am  his  servant,  not  his  solicitor.  I  call  upon  hini, 
and  he  will  deliver  me. 


Jan.  17.  iFailb'iS  cirque  Book.  17 

**And  he  said,  Certainly  I  will  be  with  thee." — Ex.  iii.  12. 

OF  course,  if  the  Lord  sent  Moses  on  an  errand, 
he  would  not  let  him  go  alone.  The 
tremendous  risk  which  it  would  involve,  and  the 
great  power  it  would  require,  would  render  it 
ridiculous  for  God  to  send  a  poor  lone  Hebrew  to 
confront  the  mightiest  king  in  all  the  world,  and 
then  leave  him  to  himself.  It  could  not  be  imagined 
that  a  wise  God  would  match  poor  Moses  with 
Pharaoh  and  the  enormous  forces  of  Egypt.  Hence 
he  says,  "  Certainly  I  will  be  with  thee,"  as  if  it 
were  out  of  the  question  that  he  would  send  him 
alone. 

In  my  case,  also,  the  same  rule  will  hold  good. 
If  I  go  upon  the  Lord's  errand,  with  a  simple 
reliance  upon  his  power,  and  a  single  eye  to  his 
glory,  it  is  certain  that  he  will  be  with  me.  His 
sending  me  binds  him  to  back  me  up.  Is  not  this 
enough?  What  more  can  I  want?  If  all  the 
angels  and  archangels  were  with  me,  I  might  fail  ; 
but  if  HE  is  with  me,  I  must  succeed.  Only  let 
me  take  care  that  I  act  worthily  towards  this  pro- 
mise. Let  me  not  go  timidly,  half-heartedly,  care- 
lessly, presumptuously.  What  manner  of  person 
ought  he  to  be  who  has  God  with  him  !  In  such 
company  it  behovcth  me  to  play  the  man,  and  like 
Moses  go  in  unto  Pharaoh  without  fear. 


i8  iFaitlj's  (!L\itc[\.\z  Bcoft.  Jan.  i8. 

"  When  thou  shalt  make  his  soul  an  offering  for  sin,  he 
shall  see  his  seed." — Isa.  liii.  lo. 

OUR  Lord  Jesus  has  not  died  in  vain.  His 
death  was  sacrificial :  he  died  as  our  sub- 
stitute, because  death  was  the  penalty  of  our  sins  ; 
and  because  his  substitution  was  accepted  of  God, 
he  has  saved  those  for  whom  he  made  his  soul  a 
sacrifice.  By  death  he  became  like  the  corn  of 
wheat  which  bringeth  forth  much  fruit.  There  must 
be  a  succession  of  children  unto  Jesus  ;  he  is,  "the 
Father  of  the  everlasting  age."  He  shall  say,  "Behold, 
I  and  the  children  whom  thou  hast  given  me." 

A  man  is  honoured  in  his  sons,  and  Jesus  hatii 
his  quiver  full  of  these  arrows  of  the  mighty.  A  man 
is  represented  in  his  children,  and  so  is  the  Christ 
in  Christians.  In  his  seed  a  man's  life  seems  to 
be  prolonged  and  extended  ;  and  so  is  the  life  of 
Jesus  continued  in  believers. 

Jesus  lives,  for  he  sees  his  seed.  He  fixes  his  eye 
on  us,  he  delights  in  us,  he  recognizes  us  as  the 
fruit  of  his  soul  travail.  Let  us  be  glad  that  our 
Lord  does  not  fail  to  enjoy  the  result  of  his  dread 
sacrifice,  and  that  he  will  never  cease  to  feast  his 
eyes  upon  the  harvest  of  his  death.  Those  eyes 
which  once  wept  for  us,  are  now  viewing  us  with 
pleasure.  Yes,  he  looks  upon  those  who  are  looking 
unto  him.     Our  eyes  meet !     What  a  j  Dy  is  this  1 


Jan,  19.  Jnitlj'g  CijfquE  ISook.  19 

'■'' Jf  thou  shalt  confess  7vith  thy  mouth  the  Lofd  Jesus, 
and  shalt  bdiive  in  thine  heart  that  God  hath  raised  him 
from  the  dead,  thou  shali  be  saved." — Rom.  x.  9. 

THERE  must  be  confession  with  the  mouth. 
Have  I  made  it  ?  Have  I  openly  avowed 
my  faith  in  Jesus  as  the  Saviour  whom  God  has 
raised  from  the  dead,  and  have  I  done  it  in  God's 
way?     Let  me  honestly  answer  this  question. 

There  must  also  be  belief  with  the  heart.  Do  I 
sincerely  believe  in  the  risen  Lord  Jesus  ?  Do  I 
trust  in  Him  as  my  sole  hope  of  salvation  ?  Is  this 
trust  from  my  heart  ?  Let  me  answer  as  before 
God. 

If  I  can  trul)''  claim  that  I  have  both  confessed 
Christ  and  believed  in  him,  then  /  am  saved.  The 
text  does  not  say  it  may  be  so,  but  it  is  plain  as 
a  pikestaff,  and  clear  as  the  sun  in  the  heavens : 
"  Thou  shalt  be  saved."  As  a  believer  and  a  con- 
fessor, I  may  lay  my  hand  on  this  promise,  and 
plead  it  before  the  Lord  God  at  this  moment,  and 
throughout  life,  and  in  the  hour  of  death,  and  at 
the  day  of  judgment. 

I  must  be  saved  from  the  guilt  of  sin,  the  power 
of  sin,  the  punishment  of  sin,  and  ultimately  from 
the  very  being  of  sin.  God  hath  said  it — "  Thou 
shalt  be  saved."  I  believe  it.  I  shall  be  saved  :  I 
am  saved.     Glory  be  to  God  for  ever  and  ever  1 


20  jFaitij'g  Cf)£quE  Book.  Jan.  2a 

"  To  him  that  overcomelh  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  tree  of 
life,  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of  God" — Rev.  ii.  7. 

NO  man  may  turn  his  back  in  the  day  of  battle, 
or  refuse  to  go  to  the  holy  war.  We  must 
fight  if  we  would  reign,  and  we  must  carry  on  the 
warfare  till  we  overcome  every  enemy,  or  else  this 
promise  is  not  for  us,  since  it  is  only  for  "  him 
that  overcometh."  We  are  to  overcome  the  false 
prophets  who  have  come  into  the  world,  and  all 
the  evils  which  accompany  their  teaching.  We 
are  to  overcome  our  own  faintness  of  heart,  and 
tendency  to  decline  from  our  first  love.  Read 
the  whole  of  the  Spirit's  word  to  the  church  at 
Ephesus. 

If  by  grace  we  win  the  day,  as  we  shall  if  we  truly 
follow  our  conquering  Leader,  then  we  shall  be 
admitted  to  the  very  centre  of  the  paradise  of  God, 
and  shall  be  permitted  to  pass  by  the  cherub  and 
his  flaming  sword,  and  come  to  that  guarded  tree, 
whereof  if  a  man  eat,  he  shall  live  for  ever.  We 
shall  thus  escape  that  endless  death  which  is  the 
doom  of  sin,  and  gain  that  everlasting  life  which  is 
the  seal  of  innocence,  the  outgrowth  of  immortal 
principles  of  God-like  holiness.  Come,  my  heart, 
pluck  up  courage !  To  flee  the  conflict  will  be  to 
lose  the  joys  of  the  new  and  better  Eden;  to  fight 
unto  victory  is  to  walk  with  God  in  Paradise. 


Jan.  21.  jFaitlj's  Cfjcqiic  Bjoft.  ax 

"  The  Egyptians  shall  kno7V  that  I  am  the  Z^r^."— Ex.  vii.  5. 

THE  ungodly  world  is  hard  to  teach.  Egypt 
docs  not  know  Jehovah,  and  therefore  dares 
to  set  up  its  idols,  and  even  ventures  to  ask — "  Who 
is  the  Lord?"  Yet  the  Lord  means  to  break  proud 
hearts,  whether  they  will  or  not.  When  his  judg- 
ments thunder  ov-er  their  heads,  darken  their  skies, 
destroy  their  harvests,  and  sla}''  their  sons,  they 
begin  to  discern  somewhat  of  Jehovah's  power. 
There  will  yet  be  such  things  done  in  the  earth 
as  shall  bring  sceptics  to  their  knees.  Let  us  not 
be  dismayed  because  of  their  blasphemies,  for  the 
Lord  can  take  care  of  his  own  name,  and  he  will 
do  so  in  a  very  effectual  manner. 

The  salvation  of  his  own  people  was  another 
potent  means  of  making  Egypt  know  that  the 
God  of  Israel  was  Jehovah,  the  living  and  true 
God.  No  Israelite  died  by  any  one  of  the  len 
plagues.  None  of  the  chosen  seed  were  drowned 
in  the  Red  Sea.  Even  so,  the  salvation  of  the 
elect,  and  the  sure  glorification  of  all  true  believers, 
will  make  the  most  obstinate  of  God's  enemies 
acknowledge  that  Jehovah  he  is  the  God. 

Oh,  that  his  convincing  power  would  go  forth 
by  his  Holy  Spirit  in  the  preaching  of  the  gospel, 
till  all  nations  shall  bow  at  the  name  of  Jesus,  and 
call  him  Lord ! 


22  Jai'tf)'s  Cfjrque  Booft.  Jan.  22. 

^''Blessed  is  he  that  const dereih  the  poor :  the  Lord  will 
deliver  him  in  tii?ie  of  trouble.''  —V?,.  xli.  1. 

TO  think  about  the  poor  and  let  them  lie  on 
our  hearts  is  a  Christian  man's  duty ;  for 
Jesus  put  them  with  us  and  near  us  when  he  said, 
•'  The  poor  ye  have  always  with  you." 

Many  give  their  money  to  the  poor  in  a  hurry, 
without  thought ;  and  many  more  give  nothing  at 
all.  This  precious  promise  belongs  to  those  who 
*^ consider'"  the  poor,  look  into  their  case,  devise 
plans  for  their  benefit,  and  considerately  carry 
them  out.  We  can  do  more  by  care  than  by  cash, 
and  most  with  the  two  together.  To  those  who 
consider  the  poor  the  Lord  promises  his  own  con- 
sideration in  times  of  distress.  He  will  bring  us 
out  of  trouble  if  we  help  others  when  they  are 
in  trouble.  We  shall  receive  very  singular  pro- 
vidential help  if  the  Lord  sees  that  we  try  to 
provide  for  others.  We  shall  have  a  time  of 
trouble,  however  generous  we  may  be;  but  if  we 
are  charitable,  we  may  put  in  a  claim  for  peculiar 
deliverance,  and  the  Lord  will  not  deny  his  own 
word  and  bond.  Miserly  curmudgeons  may  help 
themselves,  but  considerate  and  generous  believers 
the  Lord  will  help.  As  you  have  done  unto 
others,  so  will  the  Lord  do  unto  you.  Empty  your 
pockets. 


Jan.  23.  JFaitlj's  Cljcque  Doolt.  23 

*'And  he  shall  put  his  hand  upon  the  head  of  the  burnt 
offering ;  and  it  shall  be  accepted  for  him  to  make  atone- 
men t for  him." — Lev.  i.  4. 

IF  by  that  laying  on  of  his  hand  the  bullock 
became  the  offerer's  sacrifice,  how  much  more 
shall  Jesus  become  ours  by  the  laying  on  of  the 
hand  of  faith  ? 

"  My  faith  doth  lay  her  hand 
On  that  dear  head  of  thine, 
While  like  a  penitent  I  stand, 
And  there  confess  my  sin." 

If  a  bullock  could  be  accepted  for  him  to  make 
atonement  for  him,  how  much  more  shall  the  Lord 
Jesus  be  our  full  and  all-sufficient  propitiation  } 
Some  quarrel  with  the  great  truth  of  substitution  ; 
but  as  for  us,  it  is  our  hope,  our  joy,  our  boast, 
our  all.  Jesus  is  accepted  for  us  to  make  atone- 
ment for  us,  and  we  are  "  accepted  in  the  Beloved." 

Let  the  reader  take  care  at  once  to  lay  his  hand 
on  the  Lord's  completed  sacrifice,  that  by  accepting 
it  he  may  obtain  the  benefit  of  it.  If  he  has  done  so 
once,  let  him  do  it  again.  If  he  has  never  done  so, 
let  him  put  out  his  hand  without  a  moment's  delay. 
Jesus  is  yours  now  if  you  will  have  him.  Lean  on 
him ;  lean  hard  on  him  ;  and  he  is  yours  beyond 
all  question  ;  you  are  reconciled  to  God,  your  sins 
are  blotted  out,  and  you  are  the  Lord's. 


24  JFaitlj's  (ITficque  tSoofe.  jan.  24. 

^'He  will  keep  the  feet  of  his  sainis." — i  Sam.  ii.  9. 

THE  way  is  slippery,  and  our  feet  are  feeble, 
but  the  Lord  will  keep  our  feet.  If  we 
give  ourselves  up  by  obedient  faith  to  be  his  holy 
ones,  he  will  himself  be  our  guardian.  Not  only 
will  he  charge  his  angels  to  keep  us,  but  he  him- 
self will  preserve  our  goings. 

He  will  keep  our  feet  from  falling,  so  that  we 
do  not  defile  our  garments,  wound  our  souls,  and 
cause  the  enemy  to  blaspheme. 

He  will  keep  our  feet  from  wandering,  so  that 
we  do  not  go  into  paths  of  error,  or  ways  of  folly, 
or  courses  of  the  world's  custom. 

He  will  keep  our  feet  from  swelling  through 
weariness,  or  blistering  because  of  the  roughness 
and  length  of  the  way. 

He  will  keep  our  feet  from  wounding :  our  shoes 
shall  be  iron  and  brass,  so  that  even  though  we 
tread  on  the  edge  of  the  sword,  or  on  deadly 
serpents,  we  shall  not  bleed,  or  be  poisoned. 

He  will  also  pluck  our  feet  out  of  the  net.  We 
shall  not  be  entangled  by  the  deceit  of  our  malicious 
and  crafty  foes. 

With  such  a  promise  as  this,  let  us  run  without 
weariness,  and  walk  without  fear.  He  who  keeps 
our  feet  will  do  it  effectually. 


]as.  25.  jfaiti[)'s  Cfjcquc  Ijoolt.  25 

'^He  Icoketh  upon  men,  and  if  any  say,  I  have  sinned, 
and perverled  that  7vhich  was  right,  and  it  profited  vie  fiot ; 
he  will  deliver  his  soul  from  going  into  the  pit,  and  his  life 
shall  see  the  lights — job  xxxiii.  27,  28. 

THIS  is  a  word  of  truth,  gathered  from  the 
experience  of  a  man  of  Goc^,  .and  it  is  tanta- 
mount to  a  promise.  What  the  Lord  has  done,  and 
is  doing,  he  will  continue  to  do  while  the  world 
standeth.  The  Lord  will  receive  into  his  bosom  all 
who  come  to  him  with  a  sincere  confession  of  their 
sin  ;  in  fact,  he  is  always  on  the  look-out  to  discover 
any  that  are  in  trouble  because  of  their  faults. 

Can  we  not  endorse  the  language  here  used  ? 
Have  we  not  sinned,  sinned  personally  so  as  to  say, 
"  I  have  sinned"  ?  Sinned  wilfully,  having  perverted 
that  w^ich  is  right  ?  Sinned  so  as  to  discover  that 
there  is  no  profit  in  it,  but  an  eternal  loss  ?  Let  us, 
then,  go  to  God  with  this  honest  acknowledgment. 
He  asks  no  more.     We  can  do  no  less. 

Let  us  plead  his  promise  in  the  name  of  Jesus. 
He  will  deliver  us  from  the  pit  of  hell  which  yawns 
for  us  ;  he  will  grant  us  life  and  light.  Why  should 
we  despair  ?  Why  should  we  even  doubt  ?  The 
Lord  does  not  mock  humble  souls.  He  means  what 
he  says.  The  guilty  can  be  forgiven.  Those  who 
deserve  execution  can  receive  free  pardon.  Lord, 
we  confess,  and  we  pray  thee  to  forgive ! 


26  Jaill)'3  Cljfqnc  Boolt.  Jan.  26. 

'^Sur.ly  there  is  no  enchantment  against  Jacob,  neither  is 
there  any  divination  against  Israel!' — Num.  xxiii.  23. 

HOW  this  should  cut  up  root  and  branch  all 
silly,  superstitious  fears  !  Even  if  there  were 
any  truth  in  witchcraft  and  omens,  they  could  not 
affect  the  people  of  the  Lord.  Those  whom  God 
blesses  devils  cannot  curse. 

Ungodly  men,  like  Balaam,  may  cunningly  plot 
the  overthrow  of  the  Lord's  Israel ;  but  with  all  their 
secrecy  and  policy  they  are  doomed  to  fail.  Their 
powder  is  damp,  the  edge  of  their  sword  is  blunted. 
They  gather  together ;  but  as  the  Lord  is  not  with 
them,  they  gather  together  in  vain.  We  may  sit 
still,  and  let  them  weave  their  nets,  for  we  shall  not 
be  taken  in  them..  Though  they  call  in  the  aid  of 
Beelzebub,  and  employ  all  his  serpentine  craft,  it  will 
avail  them  nothing  :  the  spells  will  not  work,  the 
divination  will  deceive  them.  What  a  blessing  this 
is  !  How  it  quiets  the  heart !  God's  Jacobs  wrestle 
with  God,  but  none  shall  wrestle  with  them  and 
prevail.  God's  Israels  have  power  with  God  and 
prevail,  but  none  shall  have  power  to  prevail  against 
them.  We  need  not  fear  the  fiend  himself,  nor  any 
of  those  secret  enemies  whose  words  are  full  of 
deceit,  and  whose  plans  are  deep  and  unfathomable. 
They  cannot  hurt  those  who  trust  in  the  living  God. 
We  defy  tks  devil  and  all  his  legions. 


Jan.  27.  JFaillj's  €[):que  53ooIt.  ay 

'^Aiiii  i/icre  shall  ye  remo/iber  your  ways,  and  all  your 
doings,  wherein  ye  have  been  di filed ;  ond  ye  shall  loathe 
yourselves  in  yotir  own  sight  for  all  your  evils  that  ye  have 
conuni'ted." — Ez.  xx.  43. 

\  T  7HEN  we  are  accepted  of  the  Lord,  and  are 
V  V  standing  in  the  place  of  favour,  and  peace, 
and  safety,  then  we  are  led  to  repent  of  all  our 
failures  and  miscarriages  towards  our  gracious  God. 
So  precious  is  repentance,  that  we  may  call  it  a 
diamond  of  the  first  svater,  and  this  is  sweetly  pro- 
mised to  the  people  of  God  as  one  most  sanctifying 
result  of  salvation.  He  who  accepts  repentance,  also 
gives  repentance ;  and  he  gives  it  not  out  of  "  the 
bitter  box,"  but  from  among  those  "  wafers  made 
with  honey"  on  which  he  feeds  his  people.  A  sense 
of  blood-bought  pardon  and  of  undeserved  mercy, 
is  the  best  means  of  dissolving  a  heart  of  stone. 
Are  we  feeling  hard  "i  Let  us  think  of  covenant 
love,  and  then  we  shall  leave  sin,  lament  sin,  and 
loathe  sin  ;  yea,  we  shall  loathe  ourselves  for  sin- 
ning against  such  infinite  love.  Let  us  come  to 
God  with  this  promise  of  penitence,  and  ask  him 
to  help  us  to  remember,  and  repent,  and  regret, 
and  return.  Oh,  that  we  could  enjoy  the  meltings 
of  holy  sorrow  1  What  a  relief  would  a  flood  of 
tears  be !  Lord,  smite  the  rock,  or  speak  to  the 
rock,  and  cause  the  waters  to  flow! 


23  Jaitb's  (Cljcquc  33joIt.  Jan.  28. 

^  And  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes." 
Rev.  xxi.  4. 

"\/ES,  we  shall  come  to  this  if  we  are  believers. 
X  Sorrow  shall  cease,  and  tears  shall  be  wiped 
away.  This  is  the  world  of  weeping,  but  it  passes 
away.  There  shall  be  a  new  heaven,  and  a  new 
earth,  so  says  the  first  verse  of  this  chapter  ;  and 
therefore  there  will  be  nothing  to  weep  over  con- 
cerning the  fall  and  its  consequent  miseries.  Read 
the  second  verse,  and  note  how  it  speaks  of  the 
bride  and  her  marriage.  The  Lamb's  wedding  is 
a  time  for  boundless  pleasure,  and  tears  would  be 
out  of  place.  The  third  verse  says  that  God  him- 
self will  dwell  among  men  ;  and  surely  at  his  right 
hand  there  are  pleasures  for  evermore,  and  tears 
can  no  longer  flow. 

What  will  our  state  be  when  there  will  be  no 
more  sorrow,  nor  crying,  neither  shall  there  be  any 
more  pain  ?  This  will  be  more  glorious  than  we 
can  as  yet  imagine.  O  eyes  that  are  red  with  weep- 
ing, cease  your  scalding  flow,  for  In  a  little  while 
ye  shall  know  no  more  tears !  None  can  wipe 
tears  away  like  the  God  of  love,  but  he  is  coming 
to  do  it.  "Weeping  may  endure  for  a  night,  but 
joy  cometh  in  the  morning."  Come,  Lord,  and 
tarry  not ;  for  now  both  men  and  women  must 
weep  1 


Jan.  29.  Jai'tlj's  Cljcquc  IBooit.  29 

"  Obseive  and  hear  all  these  words  which  I  covima7id 
thee,  that  it  may  go  well  xvith  thee,  and  ivith  thy  children 
after  t  'ice  for  ci'er,  when  thou  doest  that  which  is  good  and 
right  in  the  sight  oj  the  Lord  thy  God.'" — Dcut.  xii.  28. 

THOUGH  salvation  is  not  by  the  works  of  the 
law,  yet  the  blessings  which  are  promised  to 
obedience  arc  not  denied  to  the  faithful  servants  of 
God.  The  curses  our  Lord  took  away  when  he 
was  made  a  curse  for  us,  but  no  clause  of  blessing 
has  been  abrogated. 

We  are  to  note  and  listen  to  the  revealed  will  of 
the  Lord,  giving  our  attention  not  to  portions  of 
it,  but  to  "all  these  words."  There  must  be  no 
picking  and  choosing,  but  an  impartial  respect  to 
all  that  God  has  commanded.  This  is  the  road  of 
blessedness  for  the  father  and  for  his  children.  The 
Lord's  blessing  is  upon  his  chosen  to  the  third  and 
fourth  generation.  If  they  walk  uprightly  before 
him,  he  will  make  all  men  know  that  they  are  a 
seed  which  the  Lord  has  blessed. 

No  blessing  can  come  to  us  or  ours  through  dis- 
honesty or  double  dealing.  The  ways  of  worldly 
conformity  and  unholiness  cannot  bring  good  to 
us  or  ours.  It  will  go  well  with  us  when  we  go  well 
before  God.  If  integrity  does  not  make  us  prosper, 
knavery  will  not.  That  which  gives  pleasure  to 
God  will  bring  pleasure  to  us. 


$0  ij^aillj'g  C[)cqut  Dooh.  Jan.  30. 

"A>id,  iehold,  I  am  with  thee,  and  will  keep  thee  in  all 
places  wJiither  thou  goest." — Gen.  xxviii.  15. 

DO  we  need  journeying  mercies?  Here  are 
choice  ones — God's  presence  and  preserv^a- 
tion.  In  all  places  we  need  both  of  these,  and  in 
all  places  we  shall  have  them  if  we  go  at  the  call 
of  duty,  and  not  merely  according  to  our  own 
fancy.  Why  should  we  look  upon  removal  to 
another  country  as  a  sorrowful  necessity  when  it 
is  laid  upon  us  by  the  divine  will  ?  In  all  lands 
the  believer  is  equally  a  pilgrim  and  a  stranger ; 
and  yet  in  every  region  the  Lord  is  his  dwelling- 
place,  even  as  he  has  been  to  his  saints  in  all 
generations.  We  may  miss  the  protection  of  an 
earthly  monarch,  but  when  God  says,  "  I  will 
keep  thee,"  we  are  in  no  real  danger.  This  is 
a  blessed  passport  for  a  traveller,  and  a  heavenly 
escort  for  an  emigrant. 

Jacob  had  never  left  his  father's  room  before :  he 
had  been  a  mother's  boy,  and  not  an  adventurer  like 
his  brother.  Yet  he  went  abroad,  and  God  went  with 
him.  He  had  little  luggage,  and  no  attendants ; 
yet  no  prince  ever  journeyed  with  a  nobler  body- 
guard. Even  while  he  slept  in  the  open  field, 
angels  watched  over  him,  and  the  Lord  God  spoke 
to  him.  If  the  Lord  bids  us  go,  let  us  say  with 
our  Lord  Jesus,  "Arise,  let  us  go  hence." 


Jan.  3t.  J;aillJ*3   €f)rquc  13aoIi.  31 

"  J/k  God  will  hear  me.'* — Micah  vii.  7. 

FRIENDS  may  be  unfaithful,  but  the  Lord  will 
not  turn  away  from  the  gracious  soul  ;  on 
the  contrary,  he  will  hear  all  its  desires.  The  pro- 
phet says,  "  Keep  the  doors  of  thy  mouth  from 
her  that  lieth  in  thy  bosom.  A  man's  enemies  are 
the  men  of  his  own  house."  This  is  a  wretched 
state  of  affairs  ;  but  even  in  such  a  case  the  Best 
Friend  remains  true,  and  we  may  tell  him  all  our 
grief. 

Our  wisdom  is  to  look  unto  the  Lord,  and  not  to 
quarrel  with  men  or  women.  If  our  loving  appeals 
are  disregarded  by  our  own  relatives,  let  us  wait 
upon  the  God  of  our  salvation,  for  he  will  hear  us. 
He  will  hear  us  all  the  more  because  of  the  unkind- 
ness  and  oppression  of  others,  and  we  shall  soon 
have  reason  to  cry,  "  Rejoice  not  against  me,  O 
mine  enemy  I" 

Because  God  is  the  living  God,  he  can  hear ;  be- 
cause he  is  a  loving  God,  he  will  hear ;  because 
he  is  our  covenant  God,  he  has  bound  himself  to 
hear  us.  If  we  can  each  one  speak  of  him  as 
"My  God,"  we  may  with  absolute  certainty  say, 
"  My  God  will  hear  me."  Come,  then,  O  bleeding 
heart,  and  let  thy  sorrows  tell  themselves  out  to 
the  Lord  thy  God!  I  will  bow  the  knee  in  secret, 
and  inwardly  whisper,  "  My  God  will  hear  me," 


32  J^aillj's  CIjcqiiE  Cooft.  i-f.b.  i. 

^'■But  ufito  you  that  fear  my  name  shall  the  Sun  of 
righteousness  arise  with  healing  i?i  his  rcings." — Mai.  iv.  2. 

FULFILLED  once  in  the  first  advent  of  our 
glorious  Lord,  and  yet  to  have  a  fuller 
accomplishment  in  his  second  advent,  this  gracious 
word  is  also  for  daily  use.  Is  it  dark  with  the 
reader?  Does  the  night  deepen  into  a  denser 
blackness?  Still  let  us  not  despair:  the  sun  will  yet 
rise.     When  the  night  is  darkest,  dawn  is  nearest. 

The  sun  which  will  arise  is  of  no  common  sort.  It 
is  THE  sun — the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  whose  every 
ray  is  holiness.  He  who  comes  to  cheer  us,  comes 
in  the  wa)'  of  justice  as  well  as  of  mercy,  comes 
to  violate  no  law  even  to  save  us.  Jesus  as  much  dis- 
plays the  holiness  of  God  as  his  love.  Our  deliver- 
ance, when  it  comes,  will  be  safe  because  righteous. 

Our  one  point  of  inquiry  should  be — "  Do  we 
fear  the  name  of  the  Lord  ?  Do  we  reverence  the 
Hving  God,  and  walk  in  his  ways  ?  "  Then  for  us 
the  night  must  be  short ;  and  when  the  morning 
cometh,  all  the  sickness  and  sorrow  of  our  soul  will 
be  over  for  ever.  I-ight,  warmth,  joy,  and  clear- 
ness of  vision  will  come,  and  healing  of  every 
disease  and  distress  will  follow  after. 

Has  Jesus  risen  upon  us  ?  Let  us  sit  in  the  sun. 
Has  he  hidden  his  face?  Let  us  wait  for  his  rising. 
He  will  shine  forth  as  surely  as  tlie  surL 


Feb.  a.  Jait^'g  Cfjfqite  13aoIt,  33 

^'A/id ye  sJiall  go  forth,  and  grow  up  as  calves  oj  the 
stall." — Mai.  iv.  2. 

YES,  when  the  sun  shines,  the  sick  quit  their 
chambers,  and  walk  abroad  to  breathe  the 
fresh  air.  When  the  sun  brings  spring  and  summer 
the  cattle  quit  their  stalls,  and  seek  pasture  on  the 
higher  Alps.  Even  thus,  when  we  have  conscious 
fellowship  with  our  Lord,  we  leave  the  stall  of  de- 
spondency, and  walk  abroad  in  the  fields  of  holy- 
confidence.  We  ascend  to  the  mountains- of  joy, 
and  feed  on  sweet  pasturage  which  grows  nearer 
heaven  than  the  provender  of  carnal  men. 

To  "  go  forth"  and  to  "grow  up"  is  a  double 
promise.  O  my  soul,  be  thou  eager  to  enjoy  both 
blessings!  Why  shouldst  thou  be  a  prisoner?  Arise, 
and  walk  at  liberty.  Jesus  saith  that  his  sheep 
shall  go  in  and  out  and  find  pasture  ;  go  forth,  then, 
and  feed   in  the  rich  meadows  of  boundless  love. 

Why  remain  a  babe  in  grace  ?  Grow  up.  Young 
calves  grow  fast,  especially  if  they  arc  stall-fed  ;  and 
thou  hast  the  choice  care  of  thy  Redeemer.  Grow, 
then,  in  grace,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  thy  Lord 
and  Saviour.  V>q  neither  straitened  nor  stunted. 
The  Sun  of  Righteousness  has  risen  upon  thee. 
Answer  to  his  beams,  as  the  buds  to  the  natural 
sun.  Open  thine  heart,  expand  and  grow  up  into 
him  in  all  things. 


SI  iFaftTj'g  G[)cquc  Daolt.  Feb.  3. 

'■'■Re  that  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up 
for  us  all,  how  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely  give  us  all 

things  1 " — Rom.  viii.  32. 

IF  this  is  not  a  promise  in  form,  it  is  in  fact. 
Indeed,  it  is  more  than  one  promise,  it  is  a 
confrlomerate  of  promises.  It  is  a  mass  of  rubies, 
and  emeralds,  and  diamonds,  with  a  nugget  of  gold 
for  their  setting.  It  is  a  question  which  can  never 
be  answered  so  as  to  cause  us  any  anxiety  of  heart. 
What  can  the  Lord  deny  us  after  giving  us  Jesus  ? 
If  we  need  all  things  in  heaven  and  earth,  he  will 
grant  them  to  us  :  for  if  there  had  been  a  limit  any- 
where, he  would  have  kept  back  his  own  Son. 

What  do  I  want  to-day?  I  have  only  to  ask  for 
it.  I  may  seek  earnestly,  but  not  as  if  I  had  to  use 
pressure,  and  extort  an  unwilling  gift  from  the 
Lord's  hand  ;  for  he  will  give  freely.  Of  his  own 
will,  he  gave  us  his  own  Son.  Certainly  no  one 
would  have  proposed  such  a  gift  to  him.  No  one 
would  have  ventured  to  ask  for  it.  It  would  have 
been  too  presumptuous.  He  freely  gave  his  Only- 
begotten  ;  and,  O  m.y  soul,  canst  thou  not  trust 
tny  heavenly  Father  to  give  thee  anything,  to 
give  thee  everything?  Thy  poor  prayer  would 
have  no  force  with  Omnipotence  if  force  were 
needed  ;  but  his  love,  like  a  spring,  rises  of  itself, 
and  overflows  for  the  supply  of  all  thy  needs. 


Feb.  4.  Jaitlj's  Gljcque  Ijjolt.  35 


*'/  7f':7/  not  leave  you  comfortless :  I  will  come  to  you'' 
John  xiv.   18. 

IT  E  left  US,  and  yet  \vc  arc  not  left  orphans.  He 
J.  is  our  comfort,  and  he  is  gone;  but  we  are 
not  comfortless.  Our  comfort  is  that  he  will  come 
to  us,  and  this  is  consolation  enough  to  sustain  us 
through  his  prolonged  absence,  Jesus  is  already  on 
his  way  :  he  says,  "  I  come  quickly  "  :  he  rides  post- 
haste towards  us.  He  says,  "I  will  come":  and 
none  can  prevent  his  coming,  or  put  it  back  for  a 
quarter  of  an  hour.  He  specially  says,  "  I  will 
come  to  yon ";  and  so  he  will.  His  coming  is 
specially  to  and  for  his  own  people.  This  is  meant 
to  be  their  present  comfort  while  they  mourn  that 
the  Bridegroom  doth  not  yet  appear. 

When  we  lose  the  joyful  sense  of  his  presence 
we  mourn  ;  but  we  may  not  sorrow  as  if  there 
were  no  hope.  Our  Lord  in  a  little  wrath  has  hid 
himself  from  us  for  a  moment  ;  but  he  will  return 
in  full  favour.  He  leaves  us  in  a  sense,  but  only  in 
a  sense.  When  he  withdraws,  he  leaves  a  pledge 
behind  that  he  will  return.  O  Lord,  come  quickly  ! 
There  is  no  life  in  this  earthly  existence  if  thou  be 
gone.  We  sigh  for  the  return  of  thy  sweet  smile. 
When  wilt  thou  come  unto  us  .-•  We  are  sure  thou 
wilt  appear;  but  be  thou  like  a  roe,  or  a  young 
hai-t     Make  no  tarrying,  O  our  God  1 


36  Jaitiys  Cljcque  ISaoIt.  Feb.  5. 

^'IVhen  I  see  the  blood,  I  will  pass  over  you.'' — Ex.  xii.  13. 

MY  own  sight  of  the  precious  blood  is  for  my 
comfort ;  but  it  is  the  Lord's  sight  of  it 
which  secures  my  safety.  Even  when  I  am  unable 
to  behold  it,  the  Lord  looks  at  it,  and  passes  over 
me  because  of  it.  If  I  am  not  so  much  at  ease  as 
I  ought  to  be,  because  my  faith  is  dim,  yet  I  am 
equally  safe,  because  the  Lord's  eye  is  not  dim,  and 
he  sees  the  blood  of  the  great  Sacrifice  with  steady 
gaze.     What  a  joy  is  this  ! 

The  Lord  sees  the  deep  inner  meaning,  the  infinite 
fulness  of  all  that  is  meant  by  the  death  of  his  dear 
Son.  He  sees  it  with  restful  memory  of  justice 
satisfied,  and  all  his  matchless  attributes  glorified. 
He  beheld  creation  in  its  progress,  and  said,  "  It  is 
very  good  "  ;  but  what  does  he  say  of  redemption 
in  its  completeness  ?  What  does  he  say  of  the 
obedience  even  unto  death  of  his  Well-beloved 
Son  ?  None  can  tell  his  delight  in  Jesus,  his 
rest  in  the  sweet  savour  which  Jesus  presented 
Vv^hen  he  offered  himself  without  spot  unto  God. 

Now  rest  we  in  calm  security.  We  have  God's 
Sacrifice  and  God's  Word  to  create  in  us  a  sense  of 
perfect  security.  He  will,  he  must,  pass  over  us, 
because  he  spared  not  our  glorious  Substitute. 
Justice  joins  hands  with  love  to  provide  everlasting 
salvation  for  all  the  blood-besprinklcd  ones. 


Fpb.  fi.  ilfaitlj'a  €f)cque  13ooIt,  37 

"^  ///^«  j/w//  hearken  unfo  the  voice  of  the  Lord  thy 
God,  blessed  shalt  thou  be  in  the  city.'" — Deut.  xxviii.  2,  3. 

THE  city  is  full  of  care,  and  he  who  has  to  go 
there  from  day  to  day  finds  it  to  be  a  place 
of  great  wear  and  tear.  It  is  full  of  noise,  and  stir, 
and  bustle,  and  sore  travail  :  many  are  its  tempta- 
tions, losses,  and  worries.  But  to  go  there  with 
the  divine  blessing  takes  off  the  edge  of  its 
difficulty  ;  to  remain  there  with  that  blessing  is  to 
find  pleasure  in  its  duties,  and  strength  equal  to  its 
demands. 

A  blessing  in  the  city  may  not  make  us  great, 
but  it  will  keep  us  good  ;  it  may  not  make  us  rich, 
but  it  will  preserve  us  honest.  Whether  we  are 
porters,  or  clerks,  or  managers,  or  merchants,  or 
magistrates,  the  city  will  afford  us  opportunities  for 
usefulness.  It  is  good  fishing  where  there  are 
shoals  of  fish,  and  it  is  hopeful  to  work  for  our 
Lord  amid  the  thronging  crowds.  We  might 
prefer  the  quiet  of  a  country  life  ;  but  if  called  to 
town,  we  may  certainly  prefer  it  because  there  is 
room  for  our  energies. 

To-day  let  us  expect  good  things  because  of  this 
promise,  and  let  our  care  be  to  have  an  open  ear  to 
the  voice  of  the  Lord,  and  a  ready  hand  to  execute 
his  bidding.  Obedience  brings  the  blessing.  "  In 
keeping  his  commandments  there  is  great  reward." 


$9  jTaitlj's  Cljcque  Booh.  Feb.  7. 

"If  thou  return  to  the  Almighty,  thou  shalt  be  built  up.''* 

Job  xxii.   23. 

ELIPHAZ,  in  this  utterance,  spoke  a  great 
truth,  which  is  the  summary  of  many  an 
inspired  Scripture.  Reader,  has  sin  pulled  you 
down  ?  Have  you  become  like  a  ruin  ?  Has  the 
hand  of  the  Lord  gone  out  against  you,  so  that  in 
estate  you  are  impoverished,  and  in  spirit  you  are 
broken  down  ?  Was  it  your  own  folly  which 
brought  upon  you  all  this  dilapidation  .-*  Then  the 
first  thing  to  be  done  is  to  return  to  the  Lord. 
With  deep  repentance  and  sincere  faith  find  your 
way  back  from  your  backsliding.  It  is  your  duty, 
for  you  have  turned  away  from  him  whom  you 
professed  to  serve.  It  is  your  wisdom,  for  you 
cannot  strive  against  him  and  prosper.  It  is  your 
immediate  necessity,  for  what  he  has  done  is 
nothing  compared  to  what  he  may  do  in  the  way 
of  chastisement,  since  he  is  Almighty  to  punish. 

See  what  a  promise  invites  you !  You  shall  be 
"built  up."  None  but  the  Almighty  can  set  up 
the  fallen  pillars,  and  restore  the  tottering  walls  of 
your  condition  ;  but  he  can  and  he  will  do  it  if  you 
return  to  him.  Do  not  delay.  Your  crushed  mind 
may  quite  fail  you  if  you  go  on  to  rebel ;  but 
hearty  confession  will  ease  you,  and  humble  faith 
will  console  you.     Do  this,  and  all  will  be  well. 


Feb.  8.  iJraitlj's  Cljfque  tSfloTt.  39 

"/  will  uphold  t/ue  with  the  ri^lit  hand  of  my  ri^ht- 
eousnessT — Isa.  xli.  10. 

FEAR  of  falling  is  wholesome.  To  be  venture- 
some is  no  sign  of  wisdom.  Times  come 
to  us  when  we  feel  that  we  must  go  down  unless 
we  have  very  special  support.  Here  we  have  it. 
God's  right  hand  is  a  grand  thing  to  lean  upon. 
Mind,  it  is  not  only  his  hand,  though  it  kccpcth 
heaven  and  earth  in  their  places,  but  his  ri'^lit 
hand  :  his  power  united  with  skill,  his  power  where 
it  is  most  dexterous.  Nay,  this  is  not  all,  it  is 
written,  "  I  will  uphold  thee  with  the  right  hand  uf 
my  righteousness!''  That  hand  which  he  uses  to 
maintain  his  holiness,  and  to  execute  his  royal 
sentences — this  shall  be  stretched  out  to  hold  up 
his  trusting  ones.  Fearful  is  our  danger,  but  joyful 
is  our  security.  The  man  whom  God  upholds, 
devils  cannot  throw  down. 

Weak  may  be  our  feet,  but  almighty  is  God's 
right  hand.  Rough  may  be  the  road,  but  Omni- 
potence is  our  upholding.  We  may  boldly  go 
forward.  We  shall  not  fall.  Let  us  lean  continually 
where  all  things  lean.  God  will  not  withdraw  his 
strength,  for  his  righteousness  is  there  as  well :  he 
will  be  faithful  to  his  promise,  and  faithful  to  his 
Son,  and  therefore  faithful  to  us.  How  happy  we 
ought  to  be  I    Are  we  not  so  ? 


40  iFai'tlj's  Cheque  Book.  Feb.  9. 

^^  And  I  will  brill g  the  third  part  through  the  fire^  and 
will  refine  them  as  silver  is  refined,  and  will  try  thrm  as 
gold  is  tried  :  they  shall  call  on  my  name,  and  I  will  hear 
iliem  :  I  will  say,  It  is  my  people  :  atid  they  shall  say,  The 
Lord  is  my  God." — Zech.  xiii.  9. 

G''  RACE  transmutes  us  into  precious  metal, 
r  and  then  the  fire  and  the  furnace  follow 
as  a  necessary  consequence.  Do  we  start  at  this  ? 
Would  we  sooner  be  accounted  worthless,  that 
we  might  enjoy  repose,  like  the  stones  of  the  field  ? 
This  would  be  to  choose  the  viler  part :  like  Esau, 
to  take  the  pottage,  and  give  up  the  covenant  por- 
tion. No,  Lord;  we  will  gladly  be  cast  into  the 
furnace  rather  than  be  cast  out  from  thy  presence ! 

The  fire  only  refines,  it  does  not  destroy.  We 
are  to  be  brought  through  the  fire,  not  left  in  it. 
The  Lord  values  his  people  as  silver,  and  therefore 
he  is  at  pains  to  purge  away  their  dross.  If  we  are 
wise,  we  shall  rather  welcome  the  refining  process 
than  decline  it.  Our  prayer  will  be  that  our  alloy 
may  be  taken  from  us  rather  than  that  we  should 
be  withdrawn  from  the  crucible. 

O  Lord,  thou  triest  us  indeed !  We  are  ready  to 
melt  under  the  fierceness  of  the  flame.  Still,  this 
is  thy  way,  and  thy  way  is  the  best.  Sustain  us 
under  the  trial,  and  complete  the  process  of  our 
purif^'ing,  and  we  will  be  thine  for  ever  and  ever. 


Feb.  io.  i/ai't]^'a  CTj^fquc  Boolt.  41 

"For  thou  shalt  be  his  witness  unto  all  7nen  of  what 
thou  hast  seen  and  heard. ^^ — Acts  xxii.  15. 

PAUL  was  chosen  to  see  and  hear  the  Lord 
speaking  to  him  out  of  heaven.  This  divine 
election  was  a  high  privilege  for  himself;  but  it  was 
not  intended  to  end  with  him,  it  was  meant  to  have 
an  influence  upon  others ;  yea,  upon  all  men.  It 
is  to  Paul  that  Europe  owes  the  gospel  at  this  hour. 

It  is  ours  in  our  measure  to  be  witnesses  of  that 
which  the  Lord  has  revealed  to  us,  and  it  is  at 
our  peril  that  we  hide  the  precious  revelation. 
First,  we  must  see  and  hear,  or  we  shall  have 
nothing  to  tell ;  but  when  we  have  done  so,  we 
must  be  eager  to  bear  our  testimony.  It  must  be 
personal :  "  Thou  shalt  be."  It  must  be  for  Christ : 
"  Thou  shalt  be  Ids  witness."  It  must  be  constant 
and  all  absorbing;  we  are  to  be  this  above  all  other 
things,  and  to  the  exclusion  of  many  other  matters. 
Our  witness  must  not  be  to  a  select  few  who  will 
cheerfully  receive  us  ;  but  to  "  all  men  " — to  all 
whom  we  can  reach,  young  or  old,  rich  or  poor, 
good  or  bad.  We  must  never  be  silent  like  those 
who  are  possessed  by  a  dumb  spirit ;  for  the  text 
before  us  is  a  command,  and  a  promise,  and  we 
must  not  miss  it — "  Thou  shalt  be  his  witness!!* 
"Ye  are  my  witnesses,  saith  the  Lord." 

Lord,  fulfil  this  word  to  me  also  I 


43  ijCi'Vj's  C'lrquc  Djolt.  Feb.  n. 

'■'•  I  will  pour  my  spirit  upon  thy  seed,  and  my  blcssinj:^ 
upoJi  thine  offspring."—  Isa.  xliv.  3. 

OUR  clear  children  have  not  the  Spirit  of  God 
by  nature,  as  we  plainly  see.  We  see  much 
in  them  which  makes  us  fear  as  to  their  future,  and 
this  drives  us  to  agonizing  prayer.  When  a  son 
becomes  specially  perverse,  we  cry  with  Abraham, 
"  Oh,  that  Ishmael  might  live  before  thee  !  "  We 
would  sooner  see  our  daughters  Hannahs  than 
empresses.  This  verse  should  greatly  encourage 
us.  It  follows  upon  the  words,  "Fear  not,  O  Jacob, 
my  servant,"  and  it  may  well  banish  our  fears. 

The  Lord  will  give  his  Spirit;  will  give  it  plenti- 
fully, pouring  it  out;  will  give  it  effectually,  so  that 
it  shall  be  a  real  and  eternal  blessing.  Under  this 
divine  outpouring  our  children  shall  come  forward, 
and  "one  shall  say,  I  am  the  Lord's;  and  another 
shall  call  himself  by  the  name  of  Jacob." 

This  is  one  of  those  promises  concerning  which 
the  Lord  will  be  enquired  of.  Should  we  not,  at 
set  tim.es,  in  a  distinct  manner,  pray  for  our  off- 
spring? We  cannot  give  them  new  hearts,  but 
the  Holy  Spirit  can  ;  and  he  is  easily  to  be  en- 
treated of.  The  great  Father  takes  pleasure  in  the 
prayers  of  fathers  and  mothers.  Have  we  any  dear 
ones  outside  of  the  ark  }  Let  us  not  rest  till  they 
are  shut  in  with  us  by  the  Lord's  own  hand. 


Feb.  iz  i)^aitiy3  Cljrqiic  tJaoft.  43 

''''And  ilie  Lord  said  uiito  Ahram,  after  that  Lot  Teas 
separated  from  him.  Lift  up  now  tJiine  eyes,  and  lOi  k  from 
ilie place  u<here  thou  art  nortiiward,  and southicard,  and  east- 
ward, and  xvestward:  for  all  the  land  wliich  thou  seest,  to 
thee  will  L  give  it,  audio  thy  seed  for  everT — Gen.  xiii.  14,  15. 

A  SPECIAL  blessing  for  a  memorable  occasion. 
Abram  had  settled  a  family  dispute.  He  had 
said,  "  Let  there  be  no  strife,  I  pray  thee,  between 
thee  and  me,  for  we  be  brethren  " ;  and  hence  he 
received  the  blessing  which  belongs  to  peace- 
makers. The  Lord  and  giver  of  peace  delights 
to  manifest  his  grace  to  those  who  seek  peace  and 
pursue  it.  If  we  desire  closer  communion  with 
God,  we  must  keep  closer  to  the  ways  of  peace. 

Abram  had  behaved  very  generously  to  his  kins- 
man, giving  him  his  choice  of  the  land.  If  we  deny 
ourselves  for  peace  sake,  the  Lord  will  more  than 
make  it  up  to  us.  As  far  as  the  patriarch  can  see, 
he  can  claim,  and  we  may  do  the  like  by  faith. 
Abram  had  to  wait  for  the  actual  possession,  but 
the  Lord  entailed  the  land  upon  him  and  his 
posterity.  Boundless  blessings  belong  to  us  by 
covenant  gift.  All  things  are  ours.  When  v/e 
please  the  Lord,  he  makes  us  to  look  everywhere, 
and  see  all  things  our  own,  whether  things  present, 
or  things  to  come,  all  are  ours,  and  we  are  Christ's, 
and  Christ  is  God's, 


44  jFaitlj's  Cfjcque  lj;oIt.  Tib.  13. 

"Ji/essed  shalt  thou  be  in  the  field.''' — Deut.  xxviii.  3. 

SO  was  Isaac  blessed  when  he  walked  therein 
at  eventide  to  meditate.  How  often  has  the 
Lord  met  us  when  we  have  been  alone !  The 
hedges  and  the  trees  can  bear  witness  to  our  joy. 
We  look  for  such  blessedness  again. 

So  was  Boaz  blessed  when  he  reaped  his  harvest, 
and  his  workmen  met  him  with  benedictions.  May 
the  Lord  prosper  all  who  drive  the  plough !  Every 
farmer  may  urge  this  promise  with  God,  if  indeed 
he  obeys  the  voice  of  the  Lord  God. 

We  go  to  the  field  to  labour  as  father  Adam 
did  ;  and  since  the  curse  fell  on  the  soil  through 
the  sin  of  Adam  the  first,  it  is  a  great  comfort  to 
find  a  blessing  through  Adam  the  second. 

We  go  to  the  field  for  exercise,  and  we  are 
happy  in  the  belief  that  the  Lord  will  bless  that 
exercise,  and  give  us  health,  which  we  will  use  to 
his  glory. 

We  go  to  the  field  to  study  nature,  and  there 
is  nothing  in  a  knowledge  of  the  visible  creation 
which  may  not  be  sanctified  to  the  highest  uses 
by  the  divine  benediction. 

We  have  at  last  to  go  to  the  field  to  bury  our 
dead ;  yea,  others  will  in  their  turn  take  us  to  God's 
acre  in  the  field :  but  we  are  blessed,  whether 
weeping  at  the  tomb,  or  sleeping  in  it. 


Feb,  14.  Jfaitlj'g  Cljrqii?  13jcTt.  45 

•*//(?  that  trusteth  in  the  Lord,  mercy  shall  compass  him 
about" — ps.  xxxii.  10. 

OFAIR  reward  of  trust !  My  Lord,  grant 
it  mc  to  the  full  !  The  truster  above  all 
men  feels  himself  to  be  a  sinner  ;  and  lo,  mercy 
is  prepared  for  him  :  he  knows  himself  to  have 
no  deservings,  but  mercy  comes  in,  and  keeps 
house  for  him  on  a  liberal  scale.  O  Lord,  give 
me  this  mercy,  even  as  I  trust  in  thee  1 

Observe,  my  soul,  what  a  body-guard  thou  hast ! 
As  a  prince  is  compassed  about  with  soldiery, 
so  art  thou  compassed  about  with  mercy.  Before 
and  behind,  and  on  all  sides,  ride  these  mounted 
guards  of  grace.  We  dwell  in  the  centre  of  the 
system  of  mercy,  for  we  dwell  in  Christ  Jesus. 

O  my  soul,  what  an  atmosphere  dost  thou  breathe! 
As  the  air  surrounds  thee,  even  so  docs  the  mercy  of 
thy  Lord.  To  the  wicked  there  are  many  sorrows, 
but  to  thee  there  are  so  many  mercies  that  thy 
sorrows  are  not  worth  mentioning.  David  says, 
"  Be  glad  in  the  Lord,  and  rejoice,  ye  righteous ; 
and  shout  for  joy,  all  ye  that  are  upright  in  heart." 
In  obedience  to  this  precept  my  heart  shall  triumph 
in  God,  and  I  will  tell  out  my  gladness.  As  thou 
hast  compassed  me  with  mercy,  I  will  also  compass 
thine  altars,  O  my  God,  with  songs  of  thanks- 
giving ! 


4*  Sfai['^'&  Cljfqiie  ^oalu  Feb.  15. 

*'  T,'ie  Lord  hath  been  mindful  of  us :  he  will  bless  us." 

Ps.  CXV.    12. 

I  CAN  set  my  seal  to  that  first  sentence.  Cannot 
}'ou  ?  Yes,  Jehovah  has  thought  of  us,  pro- 
vided for  us,  comforted  us,  deHvered  us,  and  guided 
us.  In  all  the  movements  of  his  providence  he  has 
been  mindful  of  us,  never  overlooking  our  mean 
affairs.  His  mind  has  been  full  of  us — that  is  the 
other  form  of  the  word  "mindful."  This  has  been 
the  case  all  along,  and  without  a  single  break.  At 
special  times,  however,  we  have  more  distinctly  seen 
this  mindfulness,  and  we  would  recall  them  at  this 
hour  with  overflowing  gratitude.  Yes,  yes,  "  the 
Lord  hath  been  mindful  of  us." 

The  next  sentence  is  a  logical  inference  from  the 
former  one.  Since  God  is  unchangeable,  he  will 
continue  to  be  mindful  of  us  in  the  future  as  he  has 
been  in  the  past ;  and  his  mindfulness  is  tantamount 
to  blessing  us.  But  we  have  here,  not  only  the 
conclusion  of  reason  but  the  declaration  of  inspira- 
tion :  we  have  it  on  the  Holy  Ghost's  authority — • 
"He  will  bless  us."  This  means  great  things 
and  unsearchable.  The  very  indistinctness  of  the 
promise  indicates  its  infinite  reach.  He  will  bless 
us  after  his  own  divine  manner,  and  that  for  ever 
and  ever.  Therefore,  let  us  each  say,  "Bless  the 
Lord,  O  my  soul  I  " 


Feb.  x6.  irailfj's  (Cfjfquc  Uook.  47 

"  /  7('i7/  not  execute  the  fierceness  of  fnine  a  tiger ^  I  will 
not  return  to  destroy  Epliraini :  for  I  am  Go  J,  and  not 
vian." — iios.  xi.  9- 

THE  Lord  thus  makes  known  his  sparing 
mercies.  It  may  be  that  the  reader  is  now 
under  heavy  displeasure,  and  everything  threatens 
his  speedy  doom.  Let  the  text  hold  him  up  from 
despair.  The  Lord  now  invites  you  to  consider 
your  ways,  and  confess  your  sins.  If  he  had 
been  man,  .he  would  long  ago  have  cut  you  off. 
If  he  were  now  to  act  after  the  manner  of  men,  it 
would  be  a  word  and  a  blow,  and  then  there  would 
be  an  end  of  you  :  but  it  is  not  so,  for  "as  high  as  the 
heavens  are  above  the  earth,  so  high  are  his  ways 
above  your  ways." 

You  rightly  judge  that  he  is  angry,  but  he 
keepeth  not  his  anger  forever:  if  you  turn  from  sin  to 
Jesus,  God  will  turn  from  wrath.  Because  God  is 
God,  and  not  man,  there  is  still  forgiveness  for  you, 
even  though  you  may  be  steeped  up  to  your  throat 
in  iniquity.  You  have  a  God  to  deal  with,  and  not  a 
hard  man,  nor  even  a  merely  just  man.  No  human 
being  could  have  patience  with  you  :  you  would 
have  wearied  out  an  angel,  as  you  have  wearied 
your  sorrowing  father  ;  but  God  is  longsufiering. 
Come  and  try  him  at  once.  Confess,  believe,  and 
turn  from  your  evil  way,  and  you  shall  be  saved. 


48  i^aiti^'s  Ojfqne  tSooIt.  Feb.  17. 

''''Be  ye  strong  therefore^  aitd  let  not  your  hands  be 
weak:  for  your  work  shall  be  retimrded." — 2  Chron.  xv.  7, 

GOD  had  done  great  things  for  King  Asa  and 
Judah,  but  yet  they  were  a  feeble  folk. 
Their  feet  were  very  tottering  in  the  ways  of  the 
Lord,  and  their  hearts  very  hesitating,  so  that  they 
had  to  be  warned  that  the  Lord  would  be  with 
them  while  they  were  with  him,  but  that  if  they 
forsook  him  he  would  leave  them.  They  were 
also  reminded  of  the  sister  kingdom,  how  ill  it 
fared  in  its  rebellion,  and  how  the  Lord  was 
gracious  to  it  when  repentance  was  shown.  The 
Lord's  design  was  to  confirm  them  in  his  way, 
and  make  them  strong  in  righteousness.  So  ought 
it  to  be  with  us.  God  deserves  to  be  served  with 
all  the  energy  of  which  we  are  capable. 

If  the  service  of  God  is  worth  anything,  it  is 
worth  everything.  We  shall  find  our  best  reward 
in  the  Lord's  work  if  we  do  it  with  determined 
diligence.  Our  labour  is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord, 
and  we  know  it.  Half-hearted  work  will  bring  no 
reward  ;  but,  when  we  throw  our  whole  soul  into 
the  cause,  we  shall  see  prosperity.  This  text  was 
sent  to  the  author  of  these  notes  in  a  day  of 
terrible  storm,  and  it  suggested  to  him  to  put  on 
all  steam,  with  the  assurance  of  reaching  port  in 
safety  with  a  glorious  freight 


Ff.r.  iS.  JFaitf)'s  Cfjrquc  BooTt.  49 

'■'■He  7s.'ill  fulfil  the  desire  of  them  that  fear  him  :  he 
also  ivill  hear  their  cry,  and  will  save  thciii." — Ps.  cxlv.  19. 

HIS  own  Spirit  has  wrought  this  desire  in  us, 
and  therefore  he  will  answer  it.  It  is  his 
own  life  within  which  prompts  the  cry,  and  therefore 
he  will  hear  it.  Those  who  fear  him  are  men  under 
the  holiest  influence,  and,  therefore,  their  desire 
is  to  [glorify  God,  and  enjoy  him  for  ever.  Like 
Daniel,  they  are  men  of  desires,  and  the  Lord  will 
cause  them  to  realize  their  aspirations. 

Holy  desires  are  grace  in  the  blade,  and  the 
heavenly  Husbandman  will  cultivate  them  till  they 
come  to  the  full  corn  in  the  ear.  God-fearing  men 
desire  to  be  holy,  to  be  useful,  to  be  a  blessing  to 
others,  and  so  to  honour  their  Lord.  They  desire 
supplies  for  their  need,  help  under  burdens,  guidance 
in  perplexity, deliverance  in  distress;  and  sometimes 
this  desire  is  so  strong,  and  their  case  so  pressing, 
that  they  cry  out  in  agony,  like  little  children  in 
pain,  and  then  the  Lord  works  most  comprehen- 
sively, and  does  all  that  is  needful,  according  to  this 
word — "  and  will  save  them," 

Yes,  if  we  fear  God,  we  have  nothing  else  to 
fear  ;  if  we  cry  to  the  Lord,  our  salvation  is  certain. 

Let  the  reader  lay  this  text  on  his  tongue,  and 
keep  it  in  his  mouth  all  the  day,  and  it  will  be  to 
him  as  "a  wafer  made  with  honey." 

4 


5©  iFaillj's  Gl)fquc  BooTt.  Fer.  19. 


^^ Though  I  have  afflicted  thee,  I  will  afflict  thee  no  more." 
Nahum  i.  12. 


THERE  is  a  limit  to  affliction.  God  sends  it, 
and  God  removes  it.  Do  you  sigh,  and  say, 
"  When  will  the  end  be  ? "  Remember  that  our 
griefs  will  surely  and  fnally  end  when  this  poor 
earthly  life  is  over.  Let  us  quietly  wait,  and 
patiently  endure  the  will  of  the  Lord  till  he  cometh. 

Meanwhile,  our  Father  in  heaven  takes  away  the 
rod  when  his  design  in  using  it  is  fully  served. 
When  he  has  whipped  away  our  folly,  there  will 
be  no  more  strokes.  Or,  if  the  affliction  is  sent  for 
testing  us,  that  our  graces  may  glorify  God,  it 
will  end  when  the  Lord  has  made  us  bear  witness 
to  his  praise.  We  would  not  wish  the  affliction  to 
depart  till  God  has  gotten  out  of  us  all  the  honour 
which  we  can  possibly  yield  him. 

There  may  to-day  be  "a  great  calm."  Who  knows 
how  soon  thoje  raging  billows  will  give  place  to  a 
sea  of  glass,  and  the  sea  birds  sit  on  the  gentle  waves? 
After  long  tribulation  the  flail  is  hung  up,  and  the 
wheat  rests  in  the  garner.  We  ma}^  before  many 
hours  are  past,be  just  as  happy  as  now  we  are  sorrow- 
ful. It  is  not  hard  for  the  Lord  to  turn  night  into 
day.  He  that  sends  the  clouds  can  as  easily  clear 
the  skies.  Let  us  be  of  good  cheer.  It  is  better 
on  before.     Let  us  sing  Hallelujah  by  anticipation. 


Feb.  20.  Jaitlj'g  ^Ijcquc  Boolt.  51 

"77/^  Lord  shall  guide  thee  coiiii/iual/y." — isa.  Iviii.  11. 

WJ  HAT  ailcth  thee  ?  Hast  thou  lost  thy  way  ? 
V  V  Art  thou  entangled  in  a  dark  wood,  and 
canst  thou  not  find  thy  paths?  Stand  still,  and 
sec  the  salvation  of  God.  He  knows  the  way,  and 
he  will  direct  thee  in  it  if  thou  cry  unto  him. 

Every  day  brings  its  own  perplexity.  How  sweet 
to  feel  that  the  guidance  of  the  Lord  is  continual ! 
If  we  choose  our  own  way,  or  consult  with  flesh  and 
blood,  we  cast  off  the  Lord's  guidance  ;  but  if  we 
abstain  from  self-will,  then  he  will  direct  every  step 
of  our  road,  every  hour  of  the  day,  and  every 
day  of  the  year,  and  every  year  of  our  life.  If  we 
will  but  be  guided,  we  shall  be  guided.  If  we  will 
commit  our  way  unto  the  Lord,  he  will  direct  our 
course  so  that  we  shall  not  lose  ourselves. 

But  note  to  whom  this  promise  is  made.  Read 
the  previous  verse:  "If  thou  draw  out  thy  soul  to 
the  hungry."  We  must  feel  for  others,  and  give 
them,  not  a  {&\v  dry  crusts,  but  such  things  as  we 
ourselves  would  wish  to  receive.  If  we  show  a 
tender  care  for  our  fellow-creatures  in  the  hour  of 
their  need,  then  will  the  Lord  attend  to  our  neces- 
sities, and  make  himself  our  continual  Guide.  Jesus 
is  the  Leader,  not  of  misers,  nor  of  those  who  oppress 
the  poor,  but  of  the  kind  and  tender-hearted.  Such 
persons  are  pilgrims,  who  shall  never  miss  their  w  .y. 


52  iFaft^'s  Cljcque  33oaIt.  Feb.  21. 

'■'•He  will  bless  them  that  fear  the  Lord,  both  small  and 
great." — Ps.  cxv.  13. 

THIS  is  a  word  of  cheer  to  those  who  are  of 
humble  station  and  mean  estate.  Our  God 
has  a  very  gracious  consideration  for  those  of  small 
property,  small  talent,  small  influence,  small  weight. 
God  careth  for  the  small  things  in  creation,  and 
even  regards  sparrows  in  their  lighting  upon  the 
ground.  Nothing  is  small  to  God,  for  he  makes 
use  of  insignificant  agents  for  the  accomplishment 
of  his  purposes.  Let  the  least  among  men  seek  of 
God  a  blessing  upon  his  littleness,  and  he  shall  find 
his  contracted  sphere  to  be  a  happy  one. 

Among  those  who  fear  the  Lord  there  are  little 
and  great.  Some  are  babes,  and  others  are  giants. 
But  these  are  all  blessed.  Little  faith  is  blessed 
faith.  Trembling  hope  is  blessed  hope.  Every 
<yrace  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  even  though  it  be  only 
in  the  bud,  bears  a  blessing  within  it.  Moreover, 
the  Lord  Jesus  bought  both  the  small  and  the 
great  with  the  same  precious  blood,  and  he  has 
engaged  to  preserve  the  lambs  as  well  as  the  full- 
grown  sheep.  No  mother  overlooks  her  child 
because  it  is  little  ;  nay,  the  smaller  it  is,  the  more 
tenderly  does  she  nurse  it.  If  there  be  any  prefer- 
ence with  the  Lord,  he  does  not  arrange  them  as 
**  great  and  small,"  but  as  "  small  and  great" 


Feb  22.  JFaftfj'fl  (irijfquE  Booh.  53 

'■^David  said  moreover,  The  Lord  that  delivered  me  out 
of  the  paw  of  the  lion,  and  out  of  the  paio  of  the  bear,  he 
will  deliver  me  out  of  the  hand  of  this  Pnilislinc." 
I  Sam.  xvii.  37, 

'"T^HIS  is  not  a  promise  if  we  consider  only  the 
-L  words,  but  it  is  truly  so  as  to  its  sense  ;  for 
David  spoke  a  word  which  the  Lord  endorsed  by 
makin<j  it  true.  He  argued  from  past  dcHverances 
that  he  should  receive  help  in  a  new  danger.  In 
Jesus  all  the  promises  are  Yea  and  Amen  to  the 
glory  of  God  by  us,  and  so  the  Lord's  former 
dealings  with  his  believing  people  will  be  repeated. 
Come,  then,  let  us  recall  the  Lord's  former 
loving-kindnesses.  We  could  not  have  hoped  to 
be  delivered  aforetime  by  our  own  strength  ;  yet 
the  Lord  delivered  us.  Will  he  not  again  save  us? 
We  are  sure  he  will.  As  David  ran  to  meet  his 
foe,  so  will  we.  The  Lord  has  been  with  us,  he  is 
with  us,  and  he  has  said,  "I  will  never  leave  thee, 
nor  forsake  thee."  Why  do  we  tremble  ?  Was  the 
past  a  dream?  Think  of  the  dead  bear  and  lion. 
Who  is  this  Philistine  ?  True,  he  is  not  quite  the 
same,  and  is  neither  bear  nor  lion ;  but  then  God 
is  the  same,  and  his  honour  is  as  much  concerned 
in  the  one  case  as  in  the  other.  He  did  not  save 
us  from  the  beasts  of  the  forest  to  let  a  giant  kill 
us.     Let  us  be  of  good  courage. 


54  iFaitlj'g  Cfjfqne  15:ok.  Feb.  23. 

"  If  ye  abide  in  me,  and  my  tvords  abide  in  you,  ye 
shall  ask  what  ye  will,  and  it  shall  be  done  tinto  you,'^ 
John  XV.  7. 

OF  ncccss'ty  we  must  be  in  Christ  to  live 
unto  him,  and  we  must  abide  in  him  to 
be  able  to  claim  the  largesse  of  this  promise  from 
him.  To  abide  in  Jesus  is  never  to  quit  him  for 
another  love,  or  another  object,  but  to  remain  in 
living,  loving,  conscious,  willing  union  with  him. 
The  branch  is  not  only  ever  near  the  stem,  but 
ever  receiving  life  and  fruitfulness  from  it.  All 
true  believers  abide  in  Christ  in  a  sense  ;  but  there 
is  a  higher  meaning,  and  this  we  must  know  before 
we  can  gain  unlimited  power  at  the  throne.  "Ask 
what  ye  will"  is  for  Enochs  who  w*lk  with  God,  for 
Johns  who  lie  in  the  Lord's  bosom,  for  those  whose 
union  with  Christ  leads  to  constant  communion. 

The  heart  must  remain  in  love,  the  mind  must 
be  rooted  in  faith,  the  hope  must  be  cemented  to 
the  Word,  the  whole  man  must  be  joined  unto 
the  Lord,  or  else  it  would  be  dangerous  to  trust 
us  with  power  in  prayer.  The  carte  blanche  can 
only  be  given  to  one  whose  very  life  is,  "  Not  I, 
but  Christ  liveth  in  me."  O  you  who  break  your 
fellowship,  what  power  you  lose  !  If  you  would 
be  mighty  in  your  pleadings,  the  Lord  himself 
must  abide  in  you,  and  you  in  him. 


Feb.  24.  iFaitI)'s  Cljrquc  Ijjolt.  55 

"//■  ye  abide  in  >ne,  and  my  words  abide  in  you,  ye 
shall  ask  20/iat  ye  it  ill,  and  it  shall  be  done  iinio  you." 

Juliii  XV.  7. 

NOTE  well,  that  we  must  hear  Jesus  speak  if 
we  expect  him  to  hear  us  speak.  If  we 
have  no  ear  for  Christ,  he  will  have  no  ear  for 
us.     In  proportion  as  we  hear  we  shall  be  heard. 

Moreover,  what  is  heard  must  remain,  must  live 
in  u.<;,  and  must  abide  in  our  character  as  a  force 
and  a  power.  We  must  receive  the  truths  which 
Jesus  taught,  the  precepts  which  he  issued,  and  the 
movements  of  his  Spirit  within  us ;  or  we  shall  have 
no  power  at  the  mercy-seat. 

Suppose  our  Lord's  words  to  be  received,  and  to 
abide  in  us,  what  a  boundless  field  of  privilege  is 
opened  up  to  us !  We  are  to  have  our  will  in 
prayer,  because  we  have  already  surrendered  our 
will  to  the  Lord's  command.  Thus  are  Elijahs 
trained  to  handle  the  keys  of  heaven,  and  lock  or 
loose  the  clouds.  One  such  man  is  worth  a  thou- 
sand common  Christians.  Do  we  humbly  desire 
to  be  intercessors  for  the  church  and  the  world, 
and  like  Luther  to  be  able  to  have  what  we  will 
of  the  Lord  ?  Then  we  must  bow  our  ear  to  the 
voice  of  the  Well-beloved,  and  treasure  up  his 
words,  and  carefully  obey  them.  He  had  need 
"hearken  diligently"  who  would  pray  effectually. 


56  i)Fait!)'0  C^equE  Baoft.  Feb.  25 

"  Ve  shall  be  fiamed  the  pries fs  of  /he  Lord.'' — Isa.  Ixi.  6. 

THIS  literal  promise  to  Israel  belongs  spiritually 
to  the  seed  after  the  Spirit,  namely,  to  all 
believers.  If  we  live  up  to  our  privileges,  we  shall 
live  unto  God  so  clearly  and  distinctly,  that  men 
shall  see  that  we  are  set  apart  for  holy  service,  and 
shall  name  us  the  priests  of  the  Lord.  We  may 
work,  or  trade,  as  others  do,  and  yet  we  may  be 
solely  and  wholly  the  ministering  servants  of  God. 
Our  one  occupation  shall  be  to  present  the  per- 
petual sacrifice  of  prayer,  and  praise,  and  testimony, 
and  self-consecration,  to  the  living  God  by  Jesus 
Christ. 

This  being  our  one  aim,  we  may  leave  distracting 
concerns  to  those  who  have  no  higher  calling. 
"  Let  the  dead  bury  their  dead."  It  is  written, 
"  Strangers  shall  stand  and  feed  your  flocks,  and 
the  sons  of  the  alien  shall  be  your  plowmen  and 
your  vine-dressers."  They  may  manage  politics, 
puzzle  out  financial  problems,  discuss  science,  and 
settle  the  last  new  quibbles  of  criticism  ;  but  we 
will  give  ourselves  unto  such  service  as  becomes 
those  who,  like  the  Lord  Jesus,  are  ordained  to  a 
perpetual  priesthood. 

Accepting  this  honourable  promise  as  involving 
a  sacred  duty,  let  us  put  on  the  vestments  of  holi- 
ness, and  minister  before  the  Lord  all  day  long. 


Feb.  26.  Jaitlj'g  (Cljfqut  33aoft.  57 

"77/^  lip  of  truth  shall  be  established  for  ei'er :  but  a 
lying  tongue  is  but  for  a  viomotty — Piov.  xii.  19. 

TRUTH  wears  well.  Time  tests  it,  but  it  right 
well  endures  the  trial.  If,  then,  I  have 
spoken  the  truth,  and  have  for  the  present  to  suffer 
for  it,  I  must  be  content  to  wait.  If  also  I  believe 
the  truth  of  God,  and  endeavour  to  declare  it,  I  may 
meet  with  much  opposition,  but  I  need  not  fear,  for 
ultimately  the  truth  must  prevail.  . 

What  a  poor  thing  is  the  temporary  triumph  of 
falsehood  !  "  A  lying  lip  is  but  for  a  moment  "  !  It 
is  a  mere  gourd,  which  comes  up  in  a  night,  and 
perishes  in  a  night;  and  the  greater  its  development 
the  more  manifest  its  decay.  On  the  other  hand, 
how  worthy  of  an  immortal  being  is  the  avowal 
and  defence  of  that  truth  which  can  never  change; 
the  everlasting  gospel,  which  is  established  in  the 
immutable  truth  of  an  unchanging  God  !  An  old 
proverb  saith,  "  He  that  speaks  truth  shames  the 
devil."  Assuredly  he  that  speaks  the  truth  of  God 
will  put  to  shame  all  the  devils  in  hell,  and  con- 
found all  the  seed  of  the  serpent  which  now  hiss 
out  their  falsehoods. 

O  my  heart,  take  care  that  thou  be  in  all  things 
on  the  side  of  truth,  both  in  small  things  and 
great  ;  but,  specially,  on  the  side  of  him  by  whom 
grace  and  truth  have  come  amon^^  men  I 


5^  iFaitlj's  Cijrqiie  U^cTt.  Fct?.  ?7. 

"ZT^  shall  not  be  afraid  of  evil  tidings :   his  heart  is 
fixed,  trusting  in  the  LordT — Ps.  cxii.  7. 

SUSPENSE  is  dreadful.  When  wc  have  ro 
news  from  home,  we  are  apt  to  grow  anxiou.s, 
and  we  cannot  be  persuaded  that  "no  news  is  good 
news."  Faith  is  the  cure  for  this  condition  of  sad- 
ness :  the  Lord  by  his  Spirit  settles  the  mind  in 
holy  serenity,  and  all  fear  is  gone  as  to  the  future 
as  well  as  the  present. 

The  fixedness  of  heart  spoken  of  by  the  Psalmist 
is  to  be  diligently  sought  after.  It  is  not  believing 
this  or  that  promise  of  the  Lord,  but  the  general 
condition  of  unstaggering  trustfulness  in  our  God, 
the  confidence  which  we  have  in  him  that  he  will 
neither  do  us  ill  himself,  nor  suffer  anyone  else  to 
harm  us.  This  constant  confidence  meets  the  un- 
known as  well  as  the  known  of  life.  Let  the  morrow 
'36  what  it  may,  our  God  is  the  God  of  to-morrow. 
Whatever  events  may  have  happened  which  to  us 
are  unknown,  our  Jehovah  is  God  of  the  unknown 
as  well  as  of  the  known.  We  are  determined 
to  trust  the  Lord,  come  vvhat  may.  If  the  very 
worst  should  happen,  our  God  is  still  the  greatest 
and  best.  Therefore  will  we  not  fear  though  the 
postman's  knock  should  startle  us,  or  a  telegram 
wake  us  at  midnight.  The  Lord  liveth,  and  what 
can  his  children  fear? 


Feb.  2S.  iFaitlj'g  €f)iquc  Booh.  59 

^'J\no7ciiig  i'l  yourselrts  that  ye  have  in  heaven  a  belier 
and  an  enJuriiig  substance." — lleh.  x.  34. 

TH  IS  is  well.  Our  substance  here  is  very  unsub- 
stantial ;  there  is  no  substance  in  it.  But 
God  has  given  us  a  promise  of  real  estate  in  tlic 
glory-land,  and  that  promise  comes  to  our  hearts 
uith  such  full  assurance  of  its  certaint}',  that  \vc 
know  in  ourselves  that  we  have  an  enduring  sub- 
stance there.  Yes,  "  we  have  "  it  even  now.  They 
say,  "A  bird  in  the  hand  is  worth  two  in  the  bush"; 
but  we  have  our  bird  in  the  bush  and  in  the  hand 
too.  Heaven  is  even  now  our  own.  We  have  the 
title-deeds  of  it,  we  have  the  earnest  of  it,  we  have 
the  first-fruits  of  it.  We  have  heaven  in  price,  in 
promise,  and  in  principle  :  this  we  know  not  only 
by  the  hearing  of  the  ear,  but  "  in  ourselves." 

Should  not  the  thought  of  the  better  substance  on 
the  other  side  of  Jordan  reconcile  us  to  present 
losses  ?  Our  spending-money  we  may  lose,  but 
our  treasure  is  safe.  We  have  lost  the  shadows, 
but  the  substance  remains,  for  our  Saviour  lives, 
and  the  place  which  he  has  prepared  for  us  abides. 
There  is  a  better  land,  a  better  substance,  a  better 
promise ;  and  all  this  comes  to  us  by  a  better 
covenant ;  wherefore,  let  us  be  in  better  spirits,  and 
say  unto  the  Lord,  "Every  day  will  I  bless  thee; 
and  praise  thy  name  for  ever  and  ever." 


6o  Jail^'s  dtljfque  Booh.  Ffb.  29, 

^'Sun'/y  goodness  and  mercy  shall  fallow  me  all  the  days 
of  my  life" — Ps.  xxiii.  6. 

A    DEVOUT  poet  sings— 

"  Lord,  when  thou 
Futtest  in  my  time  a  day,  as  thou  dost  now, 
■    Unknown  in  other  years,  grant,  I  entreat, 

Such  grace  illume  it,  that  whate'er  its  phase 
It  add  to  hohness,  and  lengthen  praise  !  " 

This  day  comes  but  once  in  four  years.  Oh,  that 
we  could  win  a  fourfold  blessing  upon  it !  Up  till 
now  goodness  and  mercy,  like  two  guards,  have 
followed  us  from  day  to  day,  bringing  up  the  rear, 
even  as  grace  leads  the  van  ;  and  as  this  out-of-the- 
way  day  is  one  of  the  days  of  our  life,  the  two 
guardian  angels  will  be  with  us  to-day  also.  Good- 
ness to  supply  our  needs,  and  mercy  to  blot  out  our 
sins — these  twain  shall  attend  our  every  step  this 
day,  and  every  day  till  days  shall  be  no  more. 
Wherefore,  let  us  serve  the  Lord  on  this  peculiar 
day  V,  ich  special  consecration  of  heart,  and  sing 
his  praises  with  more  zest  and  sweetness  than  ever. 
Could  we  not  to-day  make  an  unusual  offering 
to  the  cause  of  God,  or  to  the  poor  ?  By  inven- 
tiveness of  love  let  us  make  this  twenty-ninth  of 
February  a  day  to  be  remembered  for  ever. 


Maich  I.  iFaitlj'a  Cfjrqut  Boolt.  61 


'^^Hear  the  ivord  of  the  Lord,  ye  that  tremble  at  his  7C'<  rd ; 
Your  brethren  that  hated  you,  that  cast  you  out  /or  uiy 
name's  sake,  said.  Let  the  Lord  be  glorijied:  but  he  slw.U 
af/>car  to  your  Joy,  and  they  shall  be  ashamed^—  l,n.  Ixvi.  5. 

POSSIBLY  this  text  may  not  apply  to  one  in  a 
thousand  of  the  readers  of  this  little  book  of 
promises ;  but  the  Lord  cheers  that  one  in  such 
words  as  these.  Let  us  pray  for  all  such  as  are 
cast  out  wrongfully  from  the  society  which  they 
love.     INLay  the  Lord  appear  to  their  joy  ! 

The  text  applies  to  truly  gracious  men  who 
tremble  at  the  word  of  the  Lord.  These  were 
hated  of  their  brethren,  and  at  length  cast  out 
because  of  their  fidelity  and  their  holiness.  This 
must  have  been  very  bitter  to  them  ;  and  all  the 
more  so  because  their  casting  out  was  done  in  the 
name  of  religion,  and  professedly  with  the  view 
of  glorifying  God.  How  much  is  done  for  the 
devil  in  the  name  of  God  !  The  use  of  the  name 
of  Jehovah  to  add  venom  to  the  bite  of  the  old 
serpent  is  an  instance  of  his  subtilty. 

The  appearing  of  the  Lord  for  them  is  the  hope 
of  his  persecuted  people.  He  appears  as  the  advo- 
cate and  defender  of  his  elect ;  and  when  he  docs 
so,  it  means  a  clear  deliverance  for  the  God-fearing 
and  shame  for  their  oppressors.  O  Lord,  fulfil  this 
word  to  those  whom  men  arc  deriding  1 


62  ifaitl/g  (Cljcque  Booft.  March  2, 

''B'/f  wJien  thou  doest  alms,  let  not  thy  left  haiid  ktioia 
ivliat  ihy  right  liand  dodh :  that  thifie  alms  may  he  in 
si\re(:  and  thy  Father  7vhich  ieeth  in  secret  himself  shall 
racard  thee  openly.'''' — Ma  t.  vi.  3,  4. 


NO  promise  is  made  to  those  who  give  to  the 
poor  to  be  seen  of  men.  They  have  their 
reward  at  once,  and  cannot  expect  to  be  paid  twice. 

Let  us  hide  away  our  charity ; — yes,  hide  it  even 
from  ourselves.  Give  so  often  and  so  much  as  a 
matter  of  course,  that  you  no  more  take  note  that 
you  have  helped  the  p 03r  than  that  you  have  eaten 
your  regular  meals.  Do  your  alms  without  even 
whispering  to  yourself,  "How  generous  I  am!"  Do 
not  thus  attempt  to  reward  yourself.  Leave  the 
matter  with  God,  who  never  fails  to  see,  to  record, 
and  to  reward.  Blessed  is  the  man  who  is  busy  in 
secret  with  his  kindness  :  he  finds  a  special  joy  in 
his  unknown  benevolences.  This  is  the  bread, 
which  eaten  by  stealth,  is  sweeter  than  the  banquets 
of  kings.  How  can  I  indulge  myself  to-day  with 
this  delightful  luxury?  Let  me  have  a  real  feast 
of  tenderness  and  flow  of  soul. 

Here  and  hereafter  the  Lord,  himself,  will  per- 
sonally see  to  the  rewarding  of  the  secret  giver  of 
alms.  This  will  be  in  his  own  way  and  time  ; 
and  he  will  choose  the  very  best.  How  much 
this  promise  means  it  will  need  eternity  to  reveal. 


MARcir  3.  JFa.tlj's  Cficquc  Baolt.  63 

^^For  t/iott  wilt  noi  lenve  my  soul  in  hell ;  ftrit/icr  7(.<ilt 
thou  suffer  thine  Holy  One  to  see  corruption." — r>.  xvi.  10. 

THIS  word  has  its  proper  fulfilment  in  the  Lord 
Jesus;  but  it  applies  also,  with  a  variation, 
to  all  who  are  in  him.  Our  soul  shall  not  be  left 
in  the  separate  state,  and  our  body,  though  it 
see  corruption,  shall  rise  again.  The  general  mean- 
ing, rather  than  the  specific  application,  is  that  to 
which  we  would  call  our  readers'  thoughts  at  this 
particular  time. 

We  may  descend  in  spirit  very  low  till  we  seem 
to  be  plunged  in  the  abyss  of  hell ;  but  we  shall 
not  be  left  there.  We  may  appear  to  be  at  death's 
door  in  heart,  and  soul,  and  consciousness  ;  but  we 
cannot  remain  there.  Our  inward  death  as  to  joy 
and  hope  may  proceed  very  far  ;  but  it  cannot  run 
on  to  its  full  consqfluences,  so  as  to  reach  the  utter 
corruption  of  black  despair.  We  may  go  very  low, 
but  not  lower  than  the  Lord  permits ;  we  may 
stay  in  the  lowest  dungeon  of  doubt  for  a  while, 
but  we  shall  not  perish  there.  The  star  of  hope  is 
still  in  the  sky  when  the  night  is  blackest.  The 
Lord  will  not  forget  us  and  hand  us  over  to  the 
enemy.  Let  us  rest  in  hope.  We  have  to  deal 
with  one  whose  mercy  endureth  for  ever.  Surely, 
out  of  death,  and  darkness,  and  despair  we  shall 
yet  arise  to  life,  light,  and  liberty. 


64  jFattfj's  Cfjeqiie  ISooIt.  March  4. 

'"'Them  that  honour  me  I  will  honour." — i  Sam.  ii.  30, 

DO  I  make  the  honour  of  God  the  great  object 
of  my  Hfe  and  the  rule  of  my  conduct  ?  If 
so,  he  will  honour  me.  I  may  for  a  while  receive 
no  honour  from  man,  but  God  will  himself  put 
honour  upon  me  in  the  most  effectual  manner.  In 
the  end  it  will  be  found  the  surest  way  to  honour 
to  be  willing  to  be  put  to  shame  for  conscience 
sake. 

Eli  had  not  honoured  the  Lord  by  ruling  his 
household  well,  and  his  sons  had  not  honoured  the 
Lord  by  behaviour  worthy  of  their  sacred  office, 
and  therefore  the  Lord  did  not  honour  i/icui,  but 
took  the  high-priesthood  out  of  their  family,  and 
made  young  Samuel  to  be  ruler  in  the  land  instead 
of  any  of  their  line.  If  I  would  have  my  family 
ennobled,  I  must  honour  the  Lord  in  all  things. 
God  may  allow  the  wicked  to  win  worldly  honours; 
but  the  dignity  which  he  himself  gives,  even  glory, 
honour,  and  immortality,  he  reserves  for  those  who 
by  holy  obedience  take  care  to  honour  him. 

What  can  I  do  this  day  to  honour  the  Lord  ? 
I  will  promote  his  glory  by  my  spoken  testimony, 
and  by  my  practical  obedience.  I  will  also  honour 
him  with  my  substance,  and  by  offering  to  him 
some  special  service.  Let  me  sit  down  and  think 
how  I  can  honour  him,  since  he  will  honour  me. 


Marcu  s-  JFaillj'g  C^fquc  Baolt.  65 

'■''He  blcssdh  the  habitation  of  the  Just." — Prov,  iii.  33. 

HE  fears  the  Lord,  and  tlierefore  he  comes 
under  the  divine  protection  even  as  to  the 
roof  which  covers  himself  and  his  family.  His 
home  is  an  abode  of  love,  a  school  of  holy  training, 
and  a  place  of  heavenly  light.  In  it  there  is  a 
family  altar  where  the  name  of  the  Lord  is  daily 
had  in  reverence.  Therefore  the  Lord  blesses  his 
habitation.  It  may  be  a  humble  cottage  or  a 
lordly  mansion  ;  but  the  Lord's  blessing  comes 
because  of  the  character  of  the  inhabitant,  and  not 
because  of  the  size  of  the  dwelling. 

That  house  is  most  blest  in  which  the  master 
and  mistress  are  God-fearing  people  ;  but  a  son  or 
daughter  or  even  a  servant  may  bring  a  blessing 
on  a  whole  household.  The  Lord  often  preserves, 
prospers,  and  provides  for  a  family  for  the  sake  of 
one  or  two  in  it,  who  are  "just"  persons  in  his 
esteem,  because  his  grace  has  made  them  so. 
Beloved,  let  us  have  Jesus  for  our  constant  guest, 
even  as  the  sisters  of  Bethany  had,  and  then  we 
shall  be  blessed  indeed. 

Let  us  look  to  it  that  in  all  things  we  are  just — 
in  our  trade,  in  our  judgment  of  others,  in  our 
treatment  of  neighbours,  and  in  our  own  personal 
character.  A  just  God  cannot  bless  unjust  trans- 
actions. 

5 


66  iJaillj's  €!;rquc  15jclt.  March  6. 


"/«  ^/ice  the  fatherless  fiiideth  merry  T — Hosea  xiv.  3. 

THIS  is  an  excellent  reason  for  casting  away 
al!  other  confidences  and  relying  upon  the 
Lord  alone.  When  a  child  is  left  without  its 
natural  protector,  our  God  steps  in  and  becomes 
his  guardian  :  so  also  when  a  man  has  lost  every 
object  of  dependence,  he  may  cast  himself  upon 
the  living  God  and  find  in  him  all  that  he  needs. 
Orphans  are  cast  upon  the  fatherhood  of  God, 
and  he  provides  for  them.  The  writer  of  these 
pages  knows  what  it  is  to  hang  on  the  bare  arm 
of  God,  and  he  bears  his  willing  witness  that  no 
trust  is  so  well  warranted  by  facts,  or  so  sure  to 
be  rewarded  by  results,  as  trust  in  the  invisible 
but  ever  living  God. 

Some  children  who  have  fathers  are  not  much 
the  better  off  because  of  them,  but  the  fatherless 
with  God  are  rich.  Better  have  God  and  no  other 
friend  than  all  the  patrons  on  the  earth  and  no  God. 
To  be  bereaved  of  the  creature  is  painful,  but  so 
long  as  the  Lord  remains  the  fountain  of  mercy  to 
us,  we  are  not  truly  orphaned.  Let  fatherless 
children  plead  the  gracious  word  for  this  morning, 
and  let  all  who  have  been  bereaved  of  visible 
support  do  the  same.  Lord,  let  me  find  mercy  in 
thee  !  The  more  needy  and  helpless  I  am,  the  more 
confidently  do  I  appeal  to  thy  loving  heart. 


March  7.  iFaillj's  CTIjfquc  13joIt  67 


^' The  Lord  looseth  i/ie priioners." — Ps.  cxlvi.  7. 


HE  has  done  it.  Remember  Joseph,  Israel  in 
Egypt,  Manasseh,  Jeremiah,  Peter,  and 
many  others.  He  can  do  it  still.  He  breaks  the 
bars  of  brass  with  a  word,  and  snaps  the  fetters  of 
iron  witlr  a  look.  He  is  doing  it.  In  a  thousand 
places  troubled  ones  are  coming  forth  to  light  and 
enlargement.  Jesus  still  proclaims  the  opening  of 
the  prison  to  them  that  are  bound.  At  this 
moment  doors  are  flying  back  and  fetters  are  drop- 
ping to  the  ground. 

He  will  delight  to  set  you  free,  dear  friend,  if  at 
this  time  you  are  mourning  because  of  sorrow, 
doubt,  and  fear.  It  will  be  a  joy  to  Jesus  to  give 
you  liberty.  It  will  give  him  as  great  a  pleasure 
to  loose  you  as  it  will  be  a  pleasure  to  you  to  be 
loosed.  No,  you  have  not  to  snap  the  iron  band  : 
the  Lord  himself  will  do  it.  Only  trust  him,  and  he 
will  be  your  Emancipator.  Believe  in  him  in  spite 
of  the  stone  walls,  or  the  manacles  of  iron.  Satan 
cannot  hold  you,  sin  cannot  enchain  you,  even 
despair  cannot  bind  you,  if  you  will  now  believe 
in  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  in  the  freeness  of  his  grace, 
and  in  the  fulness  of  his  power  to  save. 

Defy  the  enemy,  and  let  the  word  now  before 
you  be  your  song  of  deliverance:  "Jehovah  looseth 
the  prisoners." 


68  j)Fait|^'0  Ojrque  33aafe.  March  8. 

'"''Blessed  shall  he  thy  basket  and  thy  stofe" — Deut.  xxviii.  5. 

OBEDIENCE  brings  a  blessing  on  all  the  pro- 
visions which  our  industry  earns  for  us. 
That  which  comes  in  and  goes  out  at  once,  like 
fruit  in  the  basket  which  is  for  immediate  use, 
shall  be  blest  ;  and  that  which  is  laid  by  with  us 
for  a  longer  season  shall  equally  receive  a  blessing. 
Perhaps  ours  is  a  hand-basket  portion.  We  have 
a  little  for  breakfast,  and  a  scanty  bite  for  dinner 
in  a  basket  when  we  go  out  to  our  work  in  the 
morning.  This  is  well,  for  the  blessing  of  God  is 
promised  to  the  basket.  If  we  live  from  hand  to 
mouth,  getting  each  day's  supply  in  the  day,  we 
are  as  well  off  as  Israel  ;  for  when  the  Lord  enter- 
tained his  favoured  people  he  only  gave  them  a 
day's  manna  at  a  time.  What  more  did  they  need  ? 
What  more  do  we  need  ^ 

But  if  we  have  a  store,  how  much  we  need  the 
Lord  to  bless  it !  For  there  is  the  care  of  getting, 
the  care  of  keeping,  the  care  of  managing,  the  care 
of  using  ;  and,  unless  the  Lord  bless  it,  these  cares 
will  eat  into  our  hearts,  till  our  goods  become  our 
gods,  and  our  cares  prove  cankers. 

O  Lord,  bless  our  substance.  Enable  us  to  use  it 
for  thy  glory.  Help  us  to  keep  worldly  things  in 
their  proper  places,  and  never  may  our  savings 
en  langer  the  saving  of  our  souls. 


March  9.  jFail|)'0  Gljfqnc  13ooIt.  69 

"And  seek  iJie  peace  of  the  city  ivhithcr  I  have  caused  you 
to  be  carried  a'way  captives,  and  pray  unto  Hie  Lord  for  it : 
for  in  the  peace  thereof  sliall  ye  have  peaceP — jer.  xxix.  7. 

THE  principle  involved  in  this  text  would 
suggest  to  all  of  us  who  are  the  Lord's 
strangers  and  foreigners  that  we  should  be  desirous 
to  promote  the  peace  and  prosperity  of  the  people 
among  whom  we  dwell.  Specially  should  our 
nation  and  our  city  be  blest  by  our  constant  in- 
tercession. An  earnest  prayer  for  Great  Britain 
and  Ireland  is  well  becoming  in  the  mouth  of 
every  English  believer. 

Eagerly  let  us  pray  for  the  great  boon  of  peace, 
both  at  home  and  abroad.  If  strife  should  cause 
bloodshed  in  our  streets,  or  if  foreign  battle  should 
slay  our  brave  soldiers,  we  should  all  bewail  the 
calamity  ;  let  us  therefore  pray  for  peace,  and 
diligently  promote  those  principles  by  which  the 
classes  at  home  and  the  races  abroad  may  be  bound 
together  in  bonds  of  amity. 

We  ourselves  are  promised  quiet  in  connection 
with  the  peace  of  the  nation,  and  this  is  most  desir- 
able ;  for  thus  we  can  bring  up  our  families  in  the 
fear  of  the  Lord,  and  also  preach  the  gospel  without 
let  or  hindrance.  To-day  let  us  be  much  in  pra)'er 
for  our  country,  confessing  national  sins,  and  asking 
for  national  pardon  and  blessing,  for  Jesus'  sake. 


70  ^aitiys  Cnjrqiie  Boolt.  March  io. 

'•/  am  come  a  light  into  tJie  7vorld,  that  whosoever 
believeth  on  me  should  not  abide  in  darkness." — John  xii.  46. 

THIS  world  is  dark  as  midnight;  Jesus  has 
come  that  by  faith  wc  may  have  Hght,  and 
may  no  longer  sit  in  the  gloom  which  covers  all 
the  rest  of  mankind. 

Whosoever  is  a  very  wide  term  :  it  means  you 
and  me.  If  we  trust  in  Jesus  we  shall  no  more  sit 
in  the  dark  shadow  of  death,  but  shall  enter  into 
the  warm  light  of  a  day  which  shall  never  end. 
Why  do  we  not  come  out  into  the  light  at  once  ? 

A  cloud  may  sometimes  hover  over  us,  but  we 
shall  not  abide  in  darkness  if  we  believe  in  Jesus. 
He  has  come  to  give  us  broad  daylight.  Shall  he 
come  in  vain  ?  If  we  have  faith  we  have  the 
privilege  of  sunlight  :  let  us  enjoy  it.  From  the 
night  of  natural  depravity,  of  ignorance,  of  doubt, 
of  despair,  of  sin,  of  dread,  Jesus  has  co.me  to  set 
us  free  ;  and  all  believers  shall  know  that  he  no 
more  comes  in  vain  than  the  sun  rises  and  fails  to 
scatter  his  heat  and  light. 

Shake  off  thy  depression,  dear  brother.  Abide 
not  in  the  dark,  but  abide  in  the  light.  In  Jesus  is 
thy  hope,  thy  joy,  thy  heaven.  Look  to  him,  to 
him  only,  and  thou  shalt  rejoice  as  the  birds 
rejoice  at  sunrise,  and  as  the  angels  rejoice  before 
the  throne. 


March  ii.  iFaitlj's  Cfjrquc  Dao!t.  71 

'''And  ail  this  assembly  shall  know  that  the  Lord  sareth 
not  7C'ith  sword  and  spe  ir :  for  the  battle  is  the  Lord's,  and 
he  7vill  give  you  into  our  hands." — i  Sam.  xvii.  47. 

LET  this  point  be  settled,  that  the  battle  is  the 
Lords,  and  we  may  be  quite  sure  of  the 
victory,  and  of  the  victory  in  such  a  way  as  will 
best  of  all  display  the  power  of  God.  The  Lord  is 
too  much  forgotten  by  all  men,  yea,  even  by  the 
assemblies  of  Lsracl  ;  and  when  there  is  an  oppor- 
tunity to  make  men  see  that  the  Great  First  Cause 
can  achieve  his  purposes  without  the  power  of  man, 
it  is  a  priceless  occasion  which  should  be  well 
employed.  Even  Lsrael  looks  too  much  to  sword 
and  spear.  It  is  a  grand  thing  to  have  no  sword  in 
the  hand  of  David,  and  yet  for  David  to  know  that 
his  God  will  overthrow  a  whole  army  of  aliens. 

If  we  are  indeed  contending  for  truth  and  right- 
eousness, let  us  not  tarry  till  we  have  talent,  or 
wealth,  or  any  other  form  of  visible  power  at  our 
disposal  ;  but  with  such  stones  as  we  find  in  the 
brook,  and  with  our  own  usual  sling,  let  us  run  to 
meet  the  enemy.  If  it  were  our  own  battle  we 
might  not  be  confident ;  but  if  we  are  standing  up 
for  Jesus,  and  warring  in  his  strength  alone,  who 
can  withstand  us .?  Without  a  trace  of  hesitancy 
let  us  face  the  Philistines  ;  for  the  Lord  of  Hosts 
is  with  us,  and  who  can  be  against  us? 


7«  Jai'llj'2  (Cljrque  Boolt.  March  12 

"And  of  Zebulun  he  said,  Rejoice,  Zebulun,  in  thy  going 
out.'" — Deut.  xxxiii.  18, 

TH  E  blessings  of  the  tribes  are  ours  ;  for  we  are 
the  true  Israel  who  worship  God  in  the  spirit, 
and  have  no  confidence  in  the  flesh.  Zebulun  is  to 
rejoice  because  Jehovah  will  bless  his  "  going  out "  ; 
we  also  see  a  promise  for  ourselves  lying  latent  in 
this  benediction.  When  we  go  out  we  will  look 
out  for  occasions  of  joy. 

We  go  out  to  travel,  and  the  providence  of  God 
is  our  convoy.  We  go  out  to  emigrate,  and  the 
Lord  is  with  us  both  on  land  and  sea.  We  go  out 
as  missionaries,  and  Jesus  saith,  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you 
unto  the  end  of  the  world."  We  go  out  day  by  day 
to  our  labour,  and  we  may  do  so  with  pleasure,  for 
God  will  be  with  us  from  morn  till  eve. 

A  fear  sometimes  creeps  over  us  when  starting, 
for  we  know  not  what  we  may  meet  with  ;  but 
this  blessing  may  serve  us  right  well  as  a  word  of 
good  cheer.  As  we  pack  up  for  moving,  let  us 
put  this  verse  into  our  travelling  trunk  ;  let  us 
drop  it  into  our  hearts,  and  keep  it  there  ;  yea,  let 
us  lay  it  on  our  tongue  to  make  us  sing.  Let  us 
weigh  anchor  with  a  song,  or  jump  into  the  carriage 
with  a  psalm.  Let  us  belong  to  the  rejoicing  tribe, 
and  in  our  every  movement  praise  the  Lord  with 
joyf  il  hearts. 


March  13.  JattTj's  Cfjrque  Uoolt.  73 

"  Then  said  /,  Ah,  Lord  God  !  behold,  I  cannot  speak : 

for  I  am  a  child.     But  the  Lord  said  unto  me,  Say  not, 

/  a7n  a  child:  for  thou  shalt  go  to  all  that  /  shall  send 

thee,  and  whatsoever  /  command  thee  thou  shalt  spcak^ 

Jer.  i.  6,  7. 

JEREMIAH  was  young  and  felt  a  natural 
shrinking  when  sent  upon  a  great  errand  by 
the  Lord  ;  but  he  who  sent  him  would  not  have 
him  say,  "I  am  a  child."  What  he  was  in  himself 
must  not  be  mentioned,  but  lost  in  the  considera- 
tion that  he  was  chosen  to  speak  for  God.  He 
had  not  to  think  out  and  invent  a  message,  nor  to 
choose  an  audience  :  he  was  to  speak  what  God 
commanded,  and  speak  where  God  sent  him,  and  this 
he  would  be  enabled  to  do  in  strength  not  his  own. 
Is  it  not  so  with  some  young  preacher,  or  teacher 
who  may  read  these  lines  ?  God  knows  how  young 
you  are,  and  how  slender  are  your  knowledge  and 
experience  ;  but  if  he  chooses  to  send  you,  it  is  not 
for  you  to  shrink  from  the  heavenly  call,  God  will 
magnify  himself  in  your  feebleness.  If  you  were 
as  old  as  Methuselah,  how  much  would  your  years 
help  you  ?  If  you  were  as  wise  as  Solomon,  you 
might  be  equally  as  wilful  as  he.  Keep  you  to 
your  message  and  it  will  be  your  wisdom  ;  follow 
your  marching  orders  and  they  will  be  your  dis- 
cretion. 


74  JFaitI)'0  d^rquE  Booh.  March  14. 

"As  one  whom  his  mother  coinfortcth^  so  will  I  comfort 
;w/."_Isa.  Ixvi.  13.       . 

A  MOTHER'S  comfort  I  Ah,  this  is  tenderness 
itself.  How  she  enters  into  her  child's 
grief!  How  she  presses  him  to  her  bosom,  and 
tries  to  take  all  his  sorrow  into  her  own  heart  1 
He  can  tell  her  all,  and  she  will  sympathize  as  no- 
body else  can.  Of  all  comforters  the  child  loves 
best  his  mother,  and  even  full-grown  men  have 
found  it  so. 

Does  Jehovah  condescend  to  act  the  mother's 
part?  This  is  goodness  indeed.  We  readily  per- 
ceive how  he  is  a  father  ;  but  will  he  be  as  a  mother 
also  ?  Does  not  this  invite  us  to  holy  familiarity,  to 
unreserved  confidence,  to  sacred  rest  ?  When  God 
himself  becomes  "  the  Comforter  "  no  anguish  can 
long  abide.  Let  us  tell  out  our  trouble,  even 
though  sobs  and  sighs  should  become  our  readiest 
utterance.  He  will  not  despise  us  for  our  tears  ; 
our  mother  did  not.  He  will  consider  our  weakness 
as  she  did,  and  he  will  put  away  our  faults,  only  in 
a  surer,  safer  way  than  our  mother  could  dc.  We 
will  not  try  to  bear  our  grief  alone  :  that  would  \>z 
unkind  to  one  so  gentle  and  so  kind.  Let  us  begin 
the  day  with  our  loving  God,  and  wherefore  should 
we  not  finish  it  in  the  same  company,  since  mothers 
weary  not  of  their  children  ? 


March  15.  iFaitf)'s  Cljfquc  Boolt.  75 

'■'■  Therefore  say,  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God ;  Al/hou'^h  I 
have  cai,t  thein  far  off  among  the  heathen,  and  alihoiii:;h  I 
have  scattered  them  among  the  countries,  yet  ivill  I  be 
to  thevi  as  a  little  sanctuary  in  the  countries  where  they 
shall  come" — Ezck.  xi.  16. 


BANISHED  from  the  public  means  of  grace,  we 
are  not  removed  from  the  grace  of  the  means. 
The  Lord  who  places  his  people  where  they  feel  as 
exiles  will  himself  be  with  them,  and  be  to  them  all 
that  they  could  have  had  at  home,  in  the  place  of 
their  solemn  assemblies.  Take  this  to  yourselves, 
O  ye  who  are  called  to  wander  ! 

God  is  to  his  people  a  place  of  refuge.  They 
find  sanctuary  with  him  from  every  adversary.  He 
is  their  place  of  ivors/iip  too.  He  is  with  them  as 
with  Jacob  when  he  slept  in  the  open  field,  and 
rising,  said,  "  Surely  God  was  in  this  place."  To 
them  also  he  will  be  a  sanctuary  of  quiet,  like  the 
Holy  of  Holies,  which  was  the  noiseless  abode  of 
the  Eternal.     They  shall  be  quiet  from  fear  of  evil. 

God  himself,  in  Christ  Jesus,  is  the  sanctuary  of 
mercy.  The  ark  of  the  covenant  is  the  Lord  Jesus, 
and  Aaron's  rod,  the  pot  of  manna,  the  tables  of 
the  law,  all  are  in  Christ  our  sanctuary.  In  God 
we  find  the  shrine  of  Jiolincss  and  of  cojiwiunioii. 
What  more  do  we  need  ?  O  Lord,  fulfil  this  pro- 
mise, and  be  ever  to  us  as  a  little  sanctuary ! 


76  jFaitb's  €\)tqi\t  Booh.  March  i6. 

"T/iose  ihi/igs,  7C'hich  ye  have  both  /earned,  and  received, 
and  heard,  and  seen  in  me,  do :  and  the  God  of  peace  shall 
be  with  your — Phil.  iv.  9. 

IT  is  well  when  a  man  can  with  advantage  be  so 
minutely  copied  as  Paul  might  have  been.  Oh, 
for  grace  to  imitate  him  this  day  and  every  day! 

Should  we,  through  divine  grace,  carry  into 
practice  the  Pauline  teaching,  we  may  claim  the 
promise  which  is  now  open  before  us  ;  and  what 
a  promise  it  is  !  God,  who  loves  peace,  makes  peace, 
and  breathes  peace,  will  be  with  us.  "  Peace  be 
with  you  "  is  a  sweet  benediction  ;  but  for  the  God 
of  peace  to  be  with  us  is  far  more.  Thus  we  have 
the  fountain  as  well  as  the  streams,  the  sun  as  well 
as  his  beams.  If  the  God  of  peace  be  with  us,  we 
shall  enjoy  the  peace  of  God  which  passeth  all 
understanding,  even  though  outward  circumstances 
should  threaten  to  disturb.  If  men  quarrel,  we 
shall  be  sure  to  be  peace-makers,  if  the  Maker 
of  peace  be  with  us. 

It  is  in  the  way  of  truth  that  real  peace  is  found. 
If  we  quit  the  faith  or  leave  the  path  of  righteous- 
ness under  the  notion  of  promoting  peace,  we  shall 
be  greatly  mistaken.  First  pure,  then  peaceable,  is 
the  order  of  wisdom  and  of  fact.  Let  us  keep  to 
Paul's  line,  and  we  shall  have  the  God  of  peace 
with  us  as  he  was  with  the  apostle. 


Mapcii  17.  JFaillj's  Cljrquc  Book.  77 

'''Be  not  afraid  of  their  faces:  for  I  am  with  thee  to 
deliver  thee,  sait/i  the  Lord." — Jor.  i.  8. 

WHENEVER  fear  comes  in  and  makes  U3 
falter,  we  are  in  danj^er  of  falling  into  sin. 
Conceit  is  to  be  dreaded,  but  so  is  cowardice. 
"  Dare  to  be  a  Daniel."  Our  great  Captain  should 
be  served  by  brave  soldiers. 

What  a  reason  for  bravery  is  here.  God  is  with 
those  who  are  with  him.  God  will  never  be  away 
when  the  hour  of  struggle  comes.  Do  they  threaten 
you .''  Who  are  you  that  you  should  be  afraid  of 
a  man  that  shall  die?  Will  you  lose  your  situa- 
tion ?  Your  God  whom  you  serve  will  find  bread 
and  water  for  his  servants.  Can  you  not  trust 
him  ?  Do  they  pour  ridicule  upon  you  ?  Will  this 
break  your  bones  or  your  heart?  Bear  it  for 
Christ's  sake,  and  even  rejoice  because  of  it. 

God  is  with  the  true,  the  just,  the  holy,  to  deliver 
them  ;  and  he  will  deliver  you.  Remember  how 
Daniel  came  out  of  the  lions'  den,  and  the  three 
holy  children  out  of  the  furnace.  Yours  is  not  so 
desperate  a  case  as  theirs  ;  but  if  it  were,  the  Lord 
would  bear  you  through,  and  make  you  more  than 
a  conqueror.  Fear  to  fear.  Be  afraid  to  be  afraid. 
Your  worst  enemy  is  within  your  own  bosom.  Get 
to  your  knees  and  cry  for  help,  and  then  rise  up 
saying,  "  I  will  trust,  and  not  be  afraid." 


78  iFait!)'0  Cfjcque  Book.  March  iS. 

*' The  prayer  of  the  upright  is  his  delight." — Prov.  xv.  8. 

THIS  is  as  good  as  a  promise,  for  it  declares  a 
present  fact,  which  will  be  the  same  through- 
out all  ages.  God  takes  great  pleasure  in  the 
prayers  of  upright  men  ;  he  even  calls  them  his  de- 
light. Our  first  concern  is  to  be  upright.  Neither 
bending  this  way  nor  that,  continue  upright :  not 
crooked  with  policy,  nor  prostrate  by  yielding  to 
evil,  be  you  upright  in  strict  integrity  and  straight- 
forwardness. If  we  begin  to  shuffle  and  shift,  we 
shall  be  left  to  shift  for  ourselves.  If  we  try  crooked 
ways,  we  shall  find  that  we  cannot  pray,  and  if  we 
pretend  to  do  so,  we  shall  find  our  prayers  shut  out 
of  heaven. 

Are  we  acting  in  a  straight  line  and  thus  follow- 
ing out  the  Lord's  revealed  will?  Then  let  us  pray 
much  and  pray  in  i'aith.  If  our  prayer  is  God's 
delight,  let  us  not  stint  him  in  that  which  gives  him 
pleasure.  He  does  not  consider  the  grammar  of  it, 
nor  the  metaphysics  of  it,  nor  the  rhetoric  of 
it ;  in  all  these  men  might  despise  it.  He,  as  a 
Father,  takes  pleasure  in  the  lispings  of  his  own 
babes,  the  stammerings  of  his  new-born  sons  and 
daughters.  Should  we  not  delight  in  prayer  since 
the  Lord  delights  in  it?  Let  us  make  errands  to 
the  throne.  The  Lord  finds  us  enough  reasons  for 
prayer,  and  we  ought  to  thank  him  that  it  is  so. 


March  19.  JFaitlj's  Cljfque  13ook.  79 

''^The  Lord  loill  give  grace  and  glory P—  rs.  Ixxxiv.  11. 

(^  RACE  is  what  we  need  just  now,  and  it  is  to 
J  be  had  freely.  What  can  be  freer  than  a 
gift?  To-day  we  shall  receive  sustaining,  strength- 
ening, sanctifying,  satisfying  grace.  He  has  given 
daily  grace  until  now,  and  as  for  the  future,  that 
grace  is  still  sufficient.  If  we  have  but  little  grace, 
the  fault  must  lie  in  ourselves  ;  for  the  Lord  is 
not  straitened,  neither  is  he  slow  to  bestow  it  in 
abundance.  We  may  ask  for  as  much  as  v/e  will 
and  never  fear  a  refusal.  He  giveth  liberally  and 
upbraidcth  not. 

The  Lord  may  not  give  gold,  but  he  will  give 
grace:  he  may  not  give  gain,  but  he  will  give  grace. 
He  will  certainly  send  us  trial,  but  he  will  give 
grace  in  proportion  thereto.  We  may  be  called  to 
labour,  and  to  suffer,  but  with  the  call  there  will 
come  all  the  grace  required. 

What  an  AND  is  t'lat  in  the  text— "  and  glory"! 
We  do  not  need  glory  yet,  and  we  are  not  yet  fit 
for  it;  but  we  shall  have  it  in  due  order.  After 
we  have  eaten  the  bread  of  grace,  we  shall  drink 
the  wine  of  glory.  We  must  go  through  the  holy 
—which  is  grace,  to  the  holiest  of  all — which  is 
glory.  The.se  words  "and  glory"  are  enough  to 
make  a  man  dance  for  joy.  A  little  while — a  little 
while,  and  then  glory  for  ever  I 


So  JFaillj's   Cljrque  Boolt.  March  2a 

"  Wherefore,  if  God  so  clothe  the  grass  of  the  field,  which 
to-day  is,  and  to-morrow  is  cast  into  the  oven,  shall  he  not 
much  more  clothe  you,  O  ye  of  little  faith?" — Matt.  vi.  30. 

CLOTHES  are  expensive,  and  poor  believers 
may  be  led  into  anxiety  as  to  where  their 
next  suit  will  come  from.  The  soles  are  thin ;  how 
shall  we  get  new  shoes?  See  how  our  thoughtful 
Lord  has  provided  against  this  care.  Our  heavenly 
Father  clothes  the  grass  of  the  field  with  a  splen- 
dour such  as  Solomon  could  not  equal :  will  he 
not  clothe  his  own  children?  We  are  sure  he  will. 
There  may  be  many  a  patch  and  a  darn,  but 
raiment  we  shall  have. 

A  poor  minister  found  his  clothes  nearly  thread- 
bare, and  so  far  gone  that  they  would  hardly  hold 
together  ;  but  as  a  servant  of  the  Lord  he  expected 
his  Master  to  find  him  his  livery.  It  so  happened 
that  the  writer  on  a  visit  to  a  friend  had  the  loan 
of  the  good  man's  pulpit,  and  it  came  into  his  mind 
to  make  a  collection  for  him,  and  there  zvas  his 
livery.  Many  other  cases  we  have  seen  in  which 
those  who  have  served  the  Lord  have  found  him 
considerate  of  their  wardrobe.  He  who  made  man 
so  that  when  he  had  sinned  he  needed  garments, 
also  in  mercy  supplietl  him  with  them  ;  and  those 
which  the  Lord  gave  to  our  first  parents  were  far 
bettt  r  than  those  they  made  for  themselves. 


March  21.  JFattlj's  €l)£que  BooU.  81 

^'■Then  shalt  tJiou  walk  in  thy  way  safely^  and  thy  foot 
shall  not  stumbled — rrov.  iii.  23. 

THAT  is  to  say,  if  wc  follow  the  ways  of 
wisdom  and  holiness  we  shall  be  preserved 
in  them.  He  who  travels  by  daylight  along  the 
highway  is  under  the  king's  protection.  There  is  a 
way  for  every  man,  namely,  his  own  proper  calling 
in  life,  and  if  we  devoutly  walk  therein  in  the  fear 
of  God  he  will  preserve  us  from  evil.  We  may  not 
travel  luxuriously,  but  we  shall  walk  safely.  We 
may  not  be  able  to  run  like  young  men,  but  we 
shall  be  able  to  walk  like  good  men. 

Our  greatest  danger  lies  in  ourselves  :  our  feeble 
foot  is  so  sadly  apt  to  stumble.  Let  us  ask  for  more 
moral  strength  that  our  tendency  to  slip  may  be 
overcome.  Some  stumble  because  they  do  not  see 
the  stone  in  the  way  :  divine  grace  enables  us  to 
perceive  sin,  and  so  to  avoid  it.  Let  us  plead  this 
promise,  and  trust  in  him  who  upholds  his  chosen. 

Alas!  our  worst  peril  is  our  own  carelessness,  but 
against  this  the  Lord  Jesus  has  put  us  on  our  guard, 
saying,  "  Watch  and  pray." 

Oh  for  grace  to  walk  this  day  without  a  single 
stumble !  It  is  not  enough  that  we  do  not  actually 
fall;  our  cry  should  be  that  we  may  not  make  the 
smallest  slip  with  our  feet,  but  may  at  the  last  adore 
him  "  who  is  able  to  keep  us  from  stumbling." 

6 


82  iFaftb's  Crtfque  Baolt.  March  22. 

"//(?  i^ivcth  grace  unto  the  humble^'' — ^James  iv.  6. 

HUMBLE  hearts  seek  grace,  and  therefore  they 
get  it.  Humble  hearts  yield  to  the  sweet 
influences  of  grace,  and  so  it  is  bestowed  on  them 
more  and  more  largely.  Humble  hearts  lie  in  the 
valleys  where  streams  of  grace  are  flowing,  and 
hence  they  drink  of  them.  Humble  hearts  are 
grateful  for  grace  and  give  the  Lord  the  glory  of 
it,  and  hence  it  is  consistent  with  his  honour  to 
give  it  to  them. 

Come,  dear  reader,  take  a  lowly  place.  Be  little 
in  thine  own  esteem,  that  the  Lord  may  make  much 
of  thee.  Perhaps  the  sigh  breaks  out,  "  I  fear  I  am 
not  humble."  It  may  be  that  this  is  the  language  of 
true  humility.  Some  are  proud  of  being  humble, 
and  this  is  one  of  the  very  worst  sorts  of  pride. 
We  are  needy,  helpless,  undeserving,  hell-deserving 
creatures,  and  if  we  are  not  humble  we  ought  to  be. 
Let  us  humble  ourselves  because  of  our  sins  against 
humility,  and  then  the  Lord  will  give  us  to  taste  of 
his  favour.  It  is  grace  which  makes  us  humble, 
and  grace  which  finds  in  this  humility  an  oppor- 
tu'iity  for  pouring  in  more  grace.  Let  us  go  down 
tliat  we  may  rise.  Let  us  be  poor  in  spirit  that 
God  may  make  us  rich.  Let  us  be  humble  that 
we  may  not  need  to  be  humbled,  but  may  be  ex- 
alted by  the  grace  of  God. 


March  23.  iFaillj'G  Cljcquc  Boolt.  83 

"/  will  bring  the  blind  by  a  way  that  i/icy  knew  fioti" 
Isa.  xlii.  16. 

THINK  of  the  infinitely  glorious  Jehovah  acting 
as  a  Guide  to  the  blind  !  What  boundless 
condescension  does  this  imply  !  A  blind  man  can- 
not find  a  way  which  he  does  not  know.  Even 
when  he  knows  the  road,  it  is  hard  for  him  to 
traverse  it;  but  a  road  which  he  has  not  known  is 
quite  out  of  the  question  for  his  unguidcd  feet.  Now, 
we  are  by  nature  blind  as  to  the  way  of  salvation, 
and  yet  the  Lord  leads  us  into  it,  and  brings  us  to 
himself,  and  then  opens  our  eyes.  As  to  the  future, 
we  are  all  of  us  blind,  and  cannot  see  an  hour 
before  us  ;  but  the  Lord  Jesus  will  lead  us  even  to 
our  journey's  end.     Blessed  be  his  name  ! 

We  cannot  guess  in  which  way  deliverance  can 
possibly  come  to  us.  but  the  Lord  knows,  and  he 
will  lead  us  till  we  shall  have  escaped  every  danger. 
Happy  are  those  who  place  their  hand  in  that  of 
the  great  Guide,  and  leave  their  way  and  them- 
selves entirely  with  him.  He  will  bring  them  all 
the  way;  and  when  he  has  brought  them  home  to 
glory  and  has  opened  their  eyes  to  see  the  way  by 
which  he  has  led  them,  what  a  song  of  gratitude 
will  they  sing  unto  their  great  Benefactor !  Lord, 
lead  thy  poor  blind  child  this  day,  for  I  know  not 
my  way! 


84  JFaitlj's  €|^cque  13aoI^  March  24. 

'•'■But  the  Lord  is  faithful,  who  shall  stablish  you,  and 
keep  you  from  evil" — 2  Thess.  iii.  3. 

MEN  are  often  as  devoid  of  reason  as  of  faith. 
There  are  with  us  still  "  unreasonable  and 
wicked  men."  There  is  no  use  in  arguing  with 
them  or  trying  to  be  at  peace  with  them  :  they  are 
false  at  heart,  and  deceitful  in  speech.  Well,  what 
of  this  ?  Shall  we  worry  ourselves  with  them  ? 
No  ;  let  us  turn  to  the  Lord,  for  he  is  faithful.  No 
promise  from  his  word  will  ever  be  broken.  He  is 
neither  unreasonable  in  his  demands  upon  us,  nor 
unfaithful  to  our  claims  upon  him.  We  have  a 
faithful  God.     Be  this  our  joy. 

He  will  stablish  us  so  that  wicked  men  sJiall  not 
cause  our  downfall,  and  he  will  keep  us  so  that 
none  of  the  evils  which  now  assail  us  shall  really 
do  us  damage.  What  a  blessing  for  us  that  we 
need  not  contend  with  men,  but  are  allowed  to 
shelter  ourselves  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  who  is  in  truest 
sympathy  with  us.  There  is  one  true  heart,  one 
faithful  mind,  one  never  changing  Love  ;  there  let 
us  repose.  The  Lord  will  fulfil  the  purpose  of  his 
grace  to  us,  his  servants,  and  we  need  not  allow  a 
shadow  of  a  fear  to  fall  upon  our  spirits.  Not  all 
that  men  or  devils  can  do  can  hinder  us  of  the 
divine  protection  and  provision.  This  day  let  us 
pray  the  Lord  to  stablish  and  keep  us. 


March  25.  iTai'lIj'S  (ICIjcquf  13oolt.  85 

*^W/ien  ihoii  lies t  down,  thou  shalt  not  be  afraid:  yea, 
thou    shalt    lie    down,    and    thy  sleep   shall  be  szceet." 
Prov.  iii,  24. 

IS  the  reader  likely  to  be  confined  for  a  while  to 
the  bed  by  sickness  ?  let  him  go  upstairs 
without  distress  with  this  promise  upon  his  heart — ■ 
"  When  thou  liest  down,  thou  shalt  not  be  afraid." 

When  we  go  to  bed  at  night,  let  this  word 
smooth  our  pillow.  We  cannot  guard  ourselves 
in  sleep,  but  the  Lord  will  keep  us  through  the 
night.  Those  who  lie  down  under  the  protection 
of  the  Lord  are  as  secure  as  kings  and  queens  in 
their  palaces,  and  a  great  deal  more  so.  If  with 
our  lying  down  there  is  a  laj'ing  down  of  all  cares 
and  ambitions,  we  shall  get  refreshment  out  of  our 
beds  such  as  the  anxious  and  covetous  never  find 
in  theirs.  Ill  dreams  shall  be  banished,  or  even  if 
they  come,  we  shall  wipe  out  the  impression  of 
them,  knowing  that  they  are  only  dreams. 

If  we  sle.ep  thus  we  shall  do  well.  How  sweetly 
Peter  slept  when  even  the  angel's  light  did  not 
wake  him,  and  he  needed  a  hard  jog  in  the  side  to 
wake  him  up.  And  yet  he  was  sentenced  to  die 
on  the  morrow.  Thus  have  martyrs  slept  before 
their  burning.     "  So  he  giveth  his  beloved  sleep." 

To  have  sweet  sleep  we  must  have  sweet  lives, 
sweet  tempers,  sweet  meditations,  and  sweet  love. 


85  iFat'tb's  €\}tqi\t  Book  March  2S. 

"77/1?  Lord  7vill  strengthen   ]iim  upon  the  bed  of  lan- 
guishing.''— Ps.  xli.  3. 

REMEMBER  that  this  is  a  promise  to  the  man 
who  considers  the  poor.      Are  you  one  of 
these?     Then  take  home  the  text,  but  not  else. 

See  how  in  the  hour  of  sickness  the  God  of  the 
poor  will  bless  the  man  who  cares  for  the  poor ! 
The  everlasting  arms  shall  stay  up  his  soul  as 
friendly  hands  and  downy  pillows  stay  up  the  body 
of  the  sick.  How  tender  and  sympathizing  is  this 
image  ;  how  near  it  brings  our'  God  to  our  in- 
firmities and  sicknesses !  Whoever  heard  this  of 
the  old  heathen  Jove,  or  of  the  gods  of  India,  or 
China  ?  This  is  language  peculiar  to  the  God  of 
Israel ;  he  it  is  who  deigns  to  become  nurse  and 
attendant  upon  good  men.  If  he  smites  with  one 
hand,  he  sustains  with  the  other.  Oh,  it  is  blessed 
fainting  when  one  falls  upon  the  Lord's  own 
bosom,  and  is  borne  thereon !  Grace  is  the 
best  of  restoratives ;  divine  love  is  the  safest 
stimulant  for  a  languishing  patient ;  it  makes  the 
soul  strong  as  a  giant,  even  when  the  bones  are 
breaking  through  the  skin.  No  physician  like  the 
Lord,  no  tonic  like  his  promise,  no  wine  like  his  love. 
If  the  reader  has  failed  in  his  duty  to  the  poor, 
let  him  see  what  he  is  losing,  and  at  once  become 
their  friend  and  helper. 


March  27.  Jai/Ij'fl  CJjtqxiz  Boolt  87 

"Z>ra7~y  nigh  to  God,  and  he  will  draw  nigh  to  youJ" 
James  iv.  8. 

THE  nearer  we  come  to  God,  the  more 
graciously  will  he  reveal  himself  to  us. 
When  the  prodigal  comes  to  his  father,  his  father 
runs  to  meet  him.  When  the  wandering  dove 
returns  to  the  ark,  Noah  puts  out  his  hand  to  pull 
her  in  unto  him.  When  the  tender  wife  seeks  her 
husband's  society,  he  comes  to  her  on  wings  of 
love.  Come  then,  dear  friend,  let  us  draw  nigh  to 
God  who  so  graciously  awaits  us,  yea,  comes  to 
meet  us. 

Did  you  ever  notice  that  passage  in  Isaiah 
Iviii.  9?  There  the  Lord  seems  to  put  himself  at 
the  disposal  of  his  people,  saying  to  them,  "  Here 
I  am."  As  much  as  to  say — "  What  have  you  to 
say  to  me  ?  What  can  I  do  for  you  ?  I  am 
waiting  to  bless  you."  How  can  we  hesitate  to 
draw  near.?  God  is  nigh  to  forgive,  to  bless,  to 
comfort,  to  help,  to  quicken,  to  deliver.  Let  it  be 
the  main  point  with  us  to  get  near  to  God.  This 
done,  all  is  done.  If  we  draw  near  to  others,  they 
may  before  long  grow  weary  of  us  and  leave  us; 
but  if  we  seek  the  Lord  alone,  no  change  will 
come  over  his  mind,  h\xt  he  will  continue  to  come 
nearer  and  yet  nearer  to  us  by  fuller  and  more 
joyful  fellowship. 


88  iFaftlj's  Cirque  Boolt.  March  28. 

'■'■The  Lord  shall  make  thee  the  head,  and  not  the  tail" 
Deut.  xxviii.  13. 

IF  we  obey  the  Lord,  he  will  compel  our  adver- 
saries to  see  that  his  blessing  rests  upon  us. 
Though  this  be  a  promise  of  the  law,  yet  it  stands 
good  to  the  people  of  God  ;  for  Jesus  has  removed 
the  curse,  but  he  has  established  the  blessing. 

It  is  for  saints  to  lead  the  way  among  men  by  holy 
influence  :  they  are  not  to  be  the  tail,  to  be  dragged 
hither  and  thither  by  others.  We  must  not  yield 
to  the  spirit  of  the  age,  but  compel  the  age  to  do 
homage  to  Christ.  If  the  Lord  be  with  us,  we 
shall  not  crave  toleration  for  religion,  but  we  shall 
seek  to  seat  it  on  the  throne  of  society.  Has  not 
the  Lord  Jesus  made  his  people  priests?  Surely 
they  are  to  teach,  and  must  not  be  learners  from 
the  philosophies  of  unbelievers.  Are  we  not  in 
Christ  made  kings  to  reign  upon  the  earth  ?  How, 
then,  can  we  be  the  servants  of  custom,  the  slaves 
of  human  opinion  ? 

Have  you,  dear  friend,  taken  up  your  true 
position  for  Jesus?  Too  many  are  silent  because 
diffident,  if  not  cowardly.  Should  we  allow  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  to  be  kept  in  the  back- 
ground? Should  our  religion  drag  along  as  a  tail  ? 
Should  it  not  rather  lead  the  way  and  be  the  ruling 
force  with  ourselves  and  others  ? 


March  29.  JFni'tlj'a  CljfquE  Baoft.  89 

"/  am  V'ith  thee,  and  no  man  shall  set  on  thee  to  hurt 
thee." — Acts  xviii.  10. 

SO  long  as  the  Lord  had  work  for  Paul  to  do  in 
Corinth,  the  fury  of  the  mob  was  restrained. 
The  Jews  opposed  themselves  and  blasphemed; 
but  they  could  neither  stop  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel,  nor  the  conversion  of  the  hearers.  God  has 
power  over  the  most  violent  minds.  He  makes 
the  wrath  of  man  to  praise  him  when  it  breaks 
forth,  but  he  still  more  displays  his  goodness  when 
he  restrains  it  ;  and  he  can  restrain  it.  "  By  the 
greatness  of  thine  arm  they  shall  be  as  still  as  a 
stone ;  till  thy  people  pass  over,  O  Lord." 

Do  not,  therefore,  feel  any  fear  of  man  when  you 
know  that  you  are  doing  your  duty.  Go  straight 
on,  as  Jesus  would  have  done,  and  those  who 
oppose  shall  be  as  a  bruised  reed  and  as  smoking 
flax.  Many  a  time  men  have  had  cause  to  fear 
because  they  were  themselves  afraid  ;  but  a  daunt- 
less faith  in  God  brushes  fear  aside  like  the  cob- 
webs in  a  giant's  path.  No  man  can  harm  us 
unless  the  Lord  permits.  He  who  makes  the 
devil  himself  to  flee  at  a  word,  can  certainly  con- 
trol the  devil's  agents.  May  be  they  are  already 
more  afraid  of  you  than  you  are  of  them.  There- 
fore, go  forward,  and  where  you  looked  to  meet 
with  foes  you  will  find  friends. 


93  jraitlj'S   Crf)fque  i3ocIt.  March  30. 

'"''Be  careful  for  nothing ;  but  in  eier)  thing  by  pra}er 
and  supplicatim  7vith  thanksgiving  id  your  requests  be 
made  knoivn  unto  Cod.  And  tJie  peace  of  God,  which 
passe  th  all  understandings  shall  keep  your  hear  is  and 
minds  through  Christ  Jesus." — Phil.  iv.  6,  7. 

N'  O  care,  but  all  prayer.  No  anxiety,  but 
much  joyful  communion  with  God.  Carry 
your  desires  to  the  Lord  of  your  life,  the  guardian 
of  your  soul.  Go  to  him  with  two  portions  of 
prayer,  and  one  of  fragrant  praise.  Do  not  pray 
doubtfully,  but  thankfully.  Consider  that  you  have 
your  petitions,  and  therefore  thank  God  for  his 
grace.  He  is  giving  you  grace,  give  him  thanks. 
Hide  nothing.  Allow  no  want  to  lie  rankling  in 
your  bosom;  "make  known  yourvrcquests."  Run 
not  to  man.  Go  only  to  your  God,  the  Father  of 
Jesus,  who  loves  you  in  him. 

This  shall  bring  you  God's  own  peace.  You 
shall  not  be  able  to  understand  the  peace  which 
you  shall  enjoy.  It  will  enfold  you  in  its  infinite 
embrace.  Heart  and  mind  through  Christ  Je3us 
shall  be  steeped  in  a  sea  of  rest.  Come  life  or 
death,  poverty,  pain,  slander,  you  shall  dwell  in 
Jesus  above  every  ruffling  wind  or  darkening  cloud 
Will  you  not  obey  this  dear  command? 

Yes,  Lord,  I  do  believe  thee ;  but,  I  beseech 
thee,  help  mine  unbelief. 


March  31.  ifnitlj'g  Cljcqiic  Boolt  91 

"^^  tiot  afraid  of  sudden  far,  neither  of  (he  desolation 
of  the  wicked,  when  it  cometh.     For  the  Lord  shall  in-  ihy 
confidence^    and  shall  keep   thy  foot  from   being  tahin.'* 
Prov.  iii.  25,  26. 

WHEN  God  is  abroad  in  judgments,  he  would 
not  have  his  people  alarmed.  He  has  not 
come  forth  to  harm,  but  to  defend  the  righteous. 

He  would  have  them  manifest  conrage.  We  who 
enjoy  the  presence  of  God  ought  to  display  presence 
of  mind.  Since  the  Lord  himself  may  suddenly 
come,  we  ought  not  to  be  surprised  at  anything 
sudden.  Serenity  under  the  rush  and  roar  of 
unexpected  evils  is  a  precious  gift  of  divine  love. 

The  Lord  would  have  his  chosen  display  dis- 
crimination,  so  that  they  may  see  that  the  desola- 
tion of  the  wicked  is  not  a  real  calamity  to  the 
universe.  Sin  alone  is  evil ;  the  punishment  which 
follows  thereupon  is  as  a  preserving  salt  to  keep 
society  from  putrefying.  We  should  be  far  more 
shocked  at  the  sin  which  deserves  hell,  than  at  the 
hell  which  comes  out  of  sin. 

So,  too,  should  the  Lord's  people  exhibit  great 
quietness  of  spirit.  Satan  and  his  serpent  seed 
are  full  of  all  subtilty  ;  but  those  who  walk  with 
God  shall  not  be  taken  in  their  deceitful  snares. 
Go  on,  believer  in  Jesus,  and  let  the  Lord  be  tl^y 
confidence. 


9»  i^aitlj's  Cljeque  ISaoIt.  April  i. 


"77/^  wayfaring  men,  though  fools,  shall  not  err  lhe?ein." 
Isa.  XXXV.  8. 


THE  way  of  holiness  is  so  straight  and  plain 
that  the  simplest  minds  cannot  go  astray  if 
they  constantly  follow  it.  The  worldly  wise  have 
many  twists  and  turns,  and  yet  they  make  terrible 
blunders,  and  generally  miss  their  end.  Worldly 
policy  is  a  poor  short-sighted  thing,  and  when  men 
choose  it  as  their  road,  it  leads  them  over  dark 
mountains.  Gracious  minds  know  no  better  than 
to  do  as  the  Lord  bids  them  ;  but  this  keeps  them 
in  the  king's  highway,  and  under  royal  protection. 

Let  the  reader  never  for  a  moment  attempt  to 
help  himself  out  of  a  difficulty  by  a  falsehood,  or 
by  a  questionable  act ;  but  let  him  keep  in  the 
middle  of  the  high  road  of  truth  and  integrity,  and 
he  will  be  following  the  best  possible  course.  In 
our  lives  we  must  never  practise  circular  sailing, 
nor  dream  of  shuffling.  Be  just  and  fear  not. 
Follow  Jesus  and  heed  no  evil  consequences.  If 
the  worst  of  ills  could  be  avoided  by  wrong-doing, 
we  should,  in  the  very  attempt,  have  fallen  into  an 
evil  worse  than  any  other  ill  could  be.  God's  way 
must  be  the  best  way.  Follow  it  though  men 
think  you  a  fool,  and  you  will  be  truly  wise. 

Lord,  lead  thy  servants  in  a  plain  path  because 
of  their  enemies. 


April  2.  Jaitlj'a  CI)Equc  ijooft.  53 

"A/edi/a/e  upon  these  things ;  give  thyself  wholly  to  them  ; 
that  thy  profiting  may  appear  to  all." — i  Tim.  iv.  15. 

THIS  is,  practically,  a  promise  that,  by  diligent 
meditation  and  the  giving  up  of  our  whole 
mind  to  our  work  for  the  Lord,  we  shall  make  a 
progress  which  all  can  see.  Not  by  hasty  reading, 
but  by  deep  meditation,  we  profit  by  the  Word  of 
God.  Not  by  doing  a  great  deal  of  work  in  a 
slovenly  manner,  but  by  giving  our  best  thought 
to  what  we  attempt,  we  shall  get  real  profit.  "  In 
all  labour  there  is  profit,"  but  not  in  fuss  and  hurry 
without  true  heart-energy. 

If  we  divide  ourselves  between  God  and  mammon, 
or  Christ  and  self,  we  shall  make  no  progress.  We 
must  give  ourselves  wholly  to  holy  things,  or  else 
we  shall  be  poor  traders  in  heavenly  business,  and 
at  our  stock-taking  no  profit  will  be  shown. 

Am  I  a  minister?  Let  me  be  a  minister  wholly, 
and  not  spend  my  energies  upon  secondary  con- 
cerns. What  have  I  to  do  with  party  politics,  or 
vain  amusements?  Am  I  a  Christian?  Let  me 
make  my  service  of  Jesus  my  occupation,  my  life- 
work,  my  one  pursuit.  We  must  be  in-and-in  with 
Jesus,  and  then  out-and-out  for  Jesus,  or  else  we 
shall  make  neither  progress  nor  profit,  and  neither 
the  church  nor  the  world  will  feel  that  forceful 
influence  which  the  Lord  would  have  us  exercise. 


$4  jFailf)'£S  Cf)fqu£  33aalt.  Airil  3. 

'■'■Because  thine  heart  was  tender,  and  thou  hast  humbled 
thyself  before  the  Lord,  when  thou  heardest  what  I  spake 
against  this  place,  and  against  the  inhabitants  thereof,  that 
they  should  become  a  desolation  and  a  curse,  and  hast  rent 
thy  clothes^  atid  wept  before  me ;  I  also  have  heard  thee^ 
saith  the  Lord. — 2  Kings  xxii.  19. 

MANY  despise  warning,  and  perish.  Happy- 
is  he  who  trembles  at  the  word  of  the 
Lord.  Josiah  did  so,  and  he  was  spared  the  sight 
of  the  evil  which  the  Lord  determined  to  send 
upon  Judah  because  of  her  great  sins.  Have  you 
this  tenderness  ?  Do  you  practise  this  self-humiha- 
tion  ?  Then  you  also  shall  be  spared  in  the  evil 
day.  God  sets  a  mark  upon  the  men  that  sigh  and 
cry  because  of  the  sin  of  the  times.  The  destroy- 
ing angel  is  commanded  to  keep  his  sword  in  its 
sheath  till  the  elect  of  God  are  sheltered  :  these  are 
best  known  by  their  godly  fear,  and  their  trembling 
at  the  word  of  the  Lord.  Are  the  times  threaten- 
ing? Do  Popery  and  Infidelity  advance  with  great 
strides,  and  do  you  dread  national  chastisement 
upon  this  polluted  nation  ?  Well  you  may.  Yet 
rest  in  this  promise,  "  Thou  shalt  be  gathered  into 
thy  grave  in  peace ;  and  thine  eyes  shall  not  see 
all  the  evil  which  I  will  bring  upon  this  place." 
Better  still,  the  Lord  himself  may  come,  and  then 
the  days  of  our  mourning  shall  be  ended. 


April  4.  JFafllj'g  Cfjfque  13aoh.  95 

^'■Atiii  I  will  send  hornets  before  thee,  which  shall  driie 
out  the  Hivite,  the  Canaanite,  and  the  IliJiteJrom  before 
thee." — Ex.  xxiii.  28. 

\yl  7HAT  the  hornets  were  we  need  not  con- 
V  V  sidcr.  They  were  God's  own  army,  which 
he  sent  before  his  people  to  sting  their  enemies, 
and  render  Israel's  conquest  easy.  Our  God  by 
his  own  chosen  means  will  fight  for  his  people,  and 
gall  their  foes,  before  they  come  into  the  actual 
battle.  Often  he  confounds  the  adversaries  of 
truth  by  methods  in  which  reformers  themselves 
have  no  hand.  The  air  is  full  of  mysterious 
influences  which  harass  Israel's  foes.  We  read  in 
the  Apocalypse  that  "the  earth  helped  the  woman." 
Let  us  never  fear.  The  stars  in  their  courses 
fight  against  the  enemies  of  our  souls.  Oftentimes 
when  we  march  to  the  conflict  we  find  no  host  to 
contend  with.  "  The  Lord  shall  fight  for  you,  and 
ye  shall  hold  your  peace."  God's  hornets  can  do 
more  than  our  weapons.  We  could  never  dream 
of  the  victory  being  won  by  such  means  as  Jehovah 
will  use.  We  must  obey  our  marching  orders  and 
go  forth  to  the  conquest  of  the  nations  for  Jesus, 
and  we  shall  find  that  the  Lord  has  gone  before  u.s, 
and  prepared  the  way ;  so  that  in  the  end  we  shall 
joyfully  confess,  "  His  o-.vn  right  hand,  and  his  holy 
arm,  have  gotten  him  the  victory." 


96  i)^aitb's  (Cljrque  33oo]^.  April  5. 

'■'■Thou  art  my  servant:    O  Israel,   thou  shall  not   be 
forgotten  of  me." — Isa.  xliv.  21. 

OUR  Jehovah  cannot  so  forget  his  servants  as 
to  cease  to  love  them.  He  chose  them  not 
for  a  time,  but  for  ever.  He  knew  what  they 
would  be  when  he  called  them  into  the  divine 
family.  He  blots  out  their  sins  like  a  cloud;  and 
we  may  be  sure  that  he  will  not  turn  them  out  of 
doors  for  iniquities  which  he  has  blotted  out.  It 
would  be  blasphemy  to  imagine  such  a  thing. 

He  will  not  forget  them  so  as  to  cease  to  think 
of  them.  One  forgetful  moment  on  the  part  of 
our  God  would  be  our  ruin.  Therefore  he  says : 
"  Thou  shalt  not  be  forgotten  of  me."  Men  forget 
us :  those  whom  we  have  benefited  turn  against 
us  :  we  have  no  abiding  place  in  the  fickle  hearts 
of  men  ;  but  God  will  never  forget  one  of  his  true 
servants.  He  binds  himself  to  us  not  by  what  we 
do  for  him,  but  by  what  he  has  done  for  us.  We 
have  been  loved  too  long,  and  bought  at  too  great 
a  price  to  be  now  forgotten.  Jesus  sees  in  us  his 
soul's  travail,  and  that  he  never  can  forget.  The 
Father  sees  in  us  the  spouse  of  his  Son,  and 
the  Spirit  sees  in  us  his  own  effectual  work.  The 
Lord  thinketh  upon  us.  This  day  we  shall  be 
succoured  and  sustained.  Oh,  that  the  Lord  may 
never  be  forgotten  of  us ! 


April  6.  jFatt!j'6  CHjrque  Boolt.  97 

"And  the  Lord  shall  be  king  over  all  the  earth :    in 
that  day  shall  there  be  one   Lord,  and  his    name   one." 
Zcch.  xiv.  9, 

BLESSED  prospect!  This  is  no  dream  of  an 
enthusiast,  but  the  declaration  of  the  in- 
falUble  Word.  Jehovah  shall  be  known  among 
all  people,  and  his  gracious  sway  shall  be  acknow- 
ledged by  every  tribe  of  man.  To-day,  it  is  far 
from  being  so.  Where  do  any  bow  before  the 
Great  King?  How  much  there  is  of  rebellion  ! 
What  lords  many,  and  gods  many,  there  are  on  the 
earth !  Even  among  professed  Christians  what 
diversities  of  ideas  there  are  about  him  and  his 
gospel !  One  day  there  shall  be  one  King,  one 
Jehovah,  and  one  name  for  the  living  God.  O 
Lord,  hasten  it!  We  daily  cry.  Thy  kingdom  come. 
We  will  not  discuss  the  question  as  to  xvhoi  this 
shall  be,  lest  we  lose  the  comfort  of  the  certainty 
that  it  shall  be.  So  surely  as  the  Holy  Ghost 
spake  by  his  prophets,  so  surely  shall  the  whole 
earth  be  filled  with  the  glory  of  the  Lord.  Jesus 
did  not  die  in  vain.  The  Spirit  of  God  worketh 
not  in  vain.  The  Father's  eternal  purposes  shall 
not  be  frustrated.  Here,  where  Satan  triumphed, 
Jesus  shall  be  crowned,  and  the  Lord  God  Omni- 
potent shall  reign.  Let  us  go  our  way  to  our 
daily  v^'ork  and  warfare  made  strong  in  faith. 

7 


98  JFaitlj'g  CIjcquE  Doolt.  Aprii  7. 

^'And  all  people  of  the  earth  shall  see  that  thou  art  called 
by  the  name  of  the  Lord  ;  and  they  shall  be  afraid  of  thee.** 
Deut.  xxviii.  lo. 

TPIEN  we  can  have  no  reason  to  be  afraid  of 
them.  This  would  show  a  mean  spirit,  and 
be  a  token  of  unbelief  rather  than  of  faith.  God 
can  make  us  so  like  himself,  that  men  shall  be 
forced  to  see  that  we  rightly  bear  his  name,  and 
truly  belong  to  the  Holy  Jehovah.  Oh,  that  we  may 
obtain  this  grace,  which  the  Lord  waits  to  bestow ! 
Be  assured  that  ungodly  men  have  a  fear  of  true 
saints.  They  hate  them,  but  they  also  fear  them. 
Haman  trembled  because  of  Mordecai,  even  when 
he  sought  the  good  man's  destruction.  In  fact,  their 
hate  often  arises  out  of  a  dread  which  they  are  too 
proud  to  confess.  Let  us  pursue  the  path  of  truth 
and  uprightness  without  the  slightest  tremor. 
Fear  is  not  for  us,  but  for  those  who  do  ill  and 
fight  against  the  Lord  of  hosts.  If  indeed  the 
name  of  the  Eternal  God  is  named  upon  us,  we  are 
secure  ;  for,  as  of  old,  a  Roman  had  but  to  say 
Romamis  sunt,  I  am  a  Roman,  and  he  could  claim 
the  protection  of  all  the  legions  of  the  vast  empire, 
so  every  one  who  is  a  man  of  God  has  omnipotence 
as  his  guardian,  and  God  will  sooner  empty  heaven 
of  angels  than  leave  a  saint  without  defence.  Be 
braver  than  lions  for  the  right,  for  God  is  with  you. 


April  8.  Jaitl)'0  CTficque  33ooh.  99 

"77/^  Lord  stood  by  )iim,  and  said,  Be  of  good  cheer, 
Paul :  for  as  thou  hast  testified  of  mc  in  Jerusalem,  so 
must  thou  bear  witness  also  at  Kome.^'' — Acts  xxiii.  11. 

ARE  you  a  witness  for  the  Lord,  and  are  you 
just  now  in  danger  ?  Then  remember  that 
you  are  immortal  till  your  work  is  done.  If  the 
Lord  has  more  witness  for  you  to  bear,  you  will  live 
to  bear  it.  Who  is  he  that  can  break  the  vessel 
which  the  Lord  intends  again  to  use  ? 

If  there  is  no  more  work  for  you  to  do  for  your 
Master,  it  cannot  distress  you  that  he  is  about  to 
take  you  home,  and  put  you  where  you  will  be 
beyond  the  reach  of  adversaries.  Your  witness- 
bearing  for  Jesus  is  your  chief  concern,  and  you 
cannot  be  stopped  in  it  till  it  is  finished  :  therefore 
be  at  peace.  Cruel  slander,  wicked  misrepresenta- 
tion, desertion  of  friends,  betrayal  by  the  most 
trusted  one,  and  whatever  else  may  come,  cannot 
hinder  the  Lord's  purpose  concerning  you.  The 
Lord  stands  by  you  in  the  night  of  your  sorrow, 
and  he  says,  "  Thou  must  yet  bear  witness  for  me." 
Be  calm,  be  filled  with  joy  in  the  Lord. 

If  you  do  not  need  this  promise  just  now,  you 
may  very  soon.  Treasure  it'\ip.  Remember  also 
to  pray  for  missionaries,  and  all  persecuted  ones, 
that  the  Lord  would  preserve  them  even  to  the 
completion  of  their  life  work. 


lOO  iFaitb'g  GCIjeque  Boolt.  April  9. 

"  Gnat  peace  have  they  which  love  thy  Uiv:  and  nothing 
shaU  offend  themr — Ps.  cxix.  165. 

A /"ES,  a  true  love  for  the  great  Book  will  bring 
X  us  great  peace  from  the  great  God,  and  be  a 
great  protection  to  us.  Let  us  live  constantly  in 
the  society  of  the  law  of  the  Lord,  and  it  will  breed 
in  our  hearts  a  restfulness  such  as  nothing  else  can. 
The  Holy  Spirit  acts  as  a  Comforter  through  the 
Word,  and  sheds  abroad  those  benign  influences 
which  calm  the  tempests  of  the  soul. 

Nothing  is  a  stumbling-block  to  the  man  who 
has  the  Word  of  God  dwelling  in  him  richly.  He 
takes  up  his  daily  cross  and  it  becomes  a  delight. 
For  the  fiery  trial  he  is  prepared,  and  counts  it  not 
strange,  so  as  to  be  utterly  cast  down  by  it.  He  is 
neither  stumbled  by  prosperity,  as  so  many  are, 
nor  crushed  by  adversity,  as  others  have  been  ; 
for  he  lives  beyond  the  changing  circumstances  of 
external  life.  When  his  Lord  puts  before  him 
some  great  mystery  of  the  faith  which  makes 
others  cry,  "  This  is  an  hard  saying  ;  who  can  hear 
it?"  the  believer  accepts  it  without  question  ;  for  his 
intellectual  difficulties  are  overcome  by  his  reve- 
rent awe  of  the  law  of  the  Lord,  which  is  to  him 
the  supreme  authority  to  which  he  joyfully  bows. 
Lord,  work  in  us  this  love,  this  peace,  this  rest, 
this  day. 


April  la  jFaitlj'g  Cljtquc  Botft.  loi 

"And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses,  Make  iheea  fiery  serpent, 
and  set  it  up07i  a  pole :  and  it  shall  come  to  p  ss,  that 
everyone  that  is  bitten,  when  he  looketh  upon  it,  shall  live" 
Num.  xxi  8. 

THIS  is  a  glorious  gospel  type.  Jesus,  num- 
bered with  the  transgressors,  liangs  before  us 
on  the  cross.  A  look  to  him  will  heal  us  of  the 
serpent-bite  of  sin  ;  will  heal  us  at  once — "  When 
he  looketh  upon  it,  he  shall  live."  Let  the  reader 
who  is  mourning  his  sinfulness  note  the  words — 
"  Everyone  that  looketh  upon  it  shall  live."  Every 
looker  will  find  this  true.  I  have  found  it  so.  I 
looked  to  Jesus  and  lived  at  once.  I  know  I  did. 
Reader,  if  you  look  to  Jesus  you  will  live  too. 
True,  you  are  swelling  with  the  venom,  and  you 
see  no  hope.  True,  also,  tlure  is  no  hope  but  this 
one.  But  this  is  no  doubtful  cure — ''  Everyone 
that  is  bitten,  when  he  looketh  upon  it,  shall  live." 

The  brazen  serpent  was  not  lifted  up  as  a 
curiosity  to  be  gazed  upon  by  the  healthy  ;  but  its 
special  purpose  was  for  those  who  were  "  bitten." 
Jesus  died  as  a  real  Saviour  for  real  sinners. 
Whether  the  bite  has  made  you  a  drunkard,  or  a 
thief,  or  an  unchaste  or  a  profane  person,  a  look  at 
the  Great  Saviour  will  heal  you  of  these  diseases, 
and  make  you  live  in  holiness  and  communion  with 
God.     Look  and  live. 


I02  iFai'tiys  €()£quc  33oofe.  April  ii. 

'  And  they  shall  teach  no  more  every  man  his  neighbour, 
and  every  man  his  brother^  sayings  Know  the  Lord :  for 
they  shall  all  kno7u  me,  f>om  the  least  of  them  tin  to  the 
greatest  of  them,  saith  the  Lord." — jer.  xxxi.  34. 

TRULY,  whatever  else  we  do  not  know,  we 
know  the  Lord.  This  day  is  this  promise 
true  in  our  experience,  and  it  is  not  a  little  one. 
The  least  believer  among  us  knows  God  in  Christ 
Jesus.  Not  as  fully  as  we  desire  ;  but  yet  truly 
and  really  we  know  the  Lord.  We  not  only  know 
doctrines  about  him,  but  we  know  HIM,  He  is 
our  Father  and  our  Friend.  We  are  acquainted 
with  him  personally.  We  can  say,  "  My  Lord,  and 
my  God.''  We  are  on  terms  of  close  fellowship 
with  God,  and  many  a  happy  season  do  we  spend 
in  his  holy  company.  We  are  no  more  strangers 
to  our  God,  but  the  secret  of  the  Lord  is  with  us. 

This  is  more  than  nature  could  have  taught  us. 
Flesh  and  blood  has  not  revealed  God  to  us.  Christ 
Jesus  has  made  known  the  Father  to  our  hearts. 
If,  then,  the  Lord  has  made  us  know  himself,  is 
not  this  the  fountain  of  all  saving  knowledge?  To 
know  God  is  eternal  life.  So  soon  as  we  come  to 
acquaintance  with  God  w^e  have  the  evidence  of 
being  quickened  into  newness  of  life.  O  my  soul, 
rejoice  in  this  knowledge,  and  bless  thy  God  all 
this  day ! 


Avvti.  12.  ifai'llj's  Cljfquc  13joIt.  103 

"/J?r  /  7C'i7/  forgive  their  iniquity,  and  I  u>ill  remember 
their  sin  no  more.'' — jer.  xxxi.  34. 

WHEN  we  know  the  Lord,  we  receive  the 
forgiveness  of  sins.  We  know  him  as  the 
God  of  Grace,  passing  by  our  transgressions.  What 
a  joyful  discovery  is  this  ! 

But  how  divinely  is  this  promise  worded  :  the 
Lord  promises  no  more  to  remember  our  sins  !  Can 
God  forget  ?  He  says  he  will,  and  he  means  what 
he  says.  He  will  regard  us  as  though  we  had  never 
sinned.  The  great  atonement  so  effectually  removed 
all  sin,  that  it  is  to  the  mind  of  God  no  more  in 
existence.  The  believer  is  now  in  Christ  Jesus,  as 
accepted  as  Adam  in  his  innocence  ;  yea,  more  so, 
for  he  wears  a  divine  righteousness,  and  that  of 
Adam  was  but  human. 

The  Great  Lord  will  not  remember  our  sins  so  as 
to  punish  them,  or  so  as  to  love  us  one  atom  the 
less  because  of  them.  As  a  debt  when  paid  ceases  to 
be  a  debt,  even  so  doth  the  Lord  make  a  complete 
obliteration  of  the  iniquity  of  his  people. 

When  we  are  mourning  over  our  transgressions 
and  shortcomings,  and  this  is  our  duty  as  long  as 
we  live,  let  us  at  the  same  time  rejoice  that  they  will 
never  be  mentioned  against  us.  This  makes  us 
hate  sin.  God's  free  pardon  makes  us  anxious 
never  again  to  grieve  him  by  disobedience. 


I04  iFaitlj's  Cljrquc  13ooIt.  April  13. 

"  IV/w  shall  change  our  vile  body,  that  it  may  bt 
fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious  bodyT — phii  iii.  21. 

OFTEN  when  we  are  racked  with  pain,  and 
unable  to  think  or  worship,  we  feel  that  this 
indeed  is  "  the  body  of  our  humiliation"  ;  and  when 
we  are  tempted  by  the  passions  which  rise  from  the 
flesh  we  do  not  think  the  word  "vile"  at  all  too 
vigorous  a  translation.  Our  bodies  humble  us;  and 
that  is  about  the  best  thing  they  do  for  us.  Oh, 
that  we  were  duly  lowly,  because  our  bodies  ally  us 
with  animals,  and  even  link  us  with  the  dust ! 

But  our  Saviour,  the  Lord  Jesus,  shall  change  all 
this.  We  shall  be  fashioned  like  his  own  body  of 
glory.  This  will  take  place  in  all  who  believe  in 
Jesus.  By  faith  their  souls  have  been  transformed, 
and  their  bodies  will  undergo  such  a  renewal  as 
shall  fit  them  for  their  regenerated  spirits.  How 
soon  this  grand  transformation  will  happen  we 
cannot  tell ;  but  the  thought  of  it  should  help  us  to 
bear  the  trials  of  to-day,  and  all  the  woes  of  the 
flesh.  In  a  little  while  we  shall  be  as  Jesus  now  is. 
No  more  aching  brows,  no  more  swollen  limbs, 
no  more  dim  eyes,  no  more  fainting  hearts.  The 
old  man  shall  be  no  more  a  bundle  of  infirmities, 
nor  the  sick  man  a  mass  of  agony.  "  Like  unto 
his  glorious  body.''  What  an  expression !  Even 
our  flesh  shall  rest  in  hope  of  such  a  resurrection  I 


April  14.  ifaitb's  Cljrquc  13ooU.  105 

"//t'  shall  choose  our  inhcrilance  for  us." — l»s.  xlvii.  4. 

OUR  enemies  would  allot  us  a  veiy  dreary  por- 
tion, but  we  are  not  left  in  their  hands.  The 
Lord  will  cause  us  to  stand  in  our  lot,  and  our 
place  is  appointed  by  his  infinite  wisdom.  A  wiser 
mind  than  our  own  arranges  our  destiny.  The 
ordaining  of  all  things  is  with  God,  and  we  are 
glad  to  have  it  so  ;  we  choose  that  God  should 
choose  for  us.  If  we  might  have  our  own  way  we 
would  wish  to  let  all  things  go  in  God's  way. 

Being  conscious  of  our  own  folly,  we  would  not 
desire  to  rule  our  own  destinies.  We  feel  safer 
and  more  at  ease  when  the  Lord  steers  our  vessel 
than  we  could  possibly  be  if  we  could  direct  it 
according  to  our  own  judgment.  Joyfully  we  leave 
the  painful  present  and  the  unknown  future  with 
our  Father,  our  Saviour,  our  Comforter. 

O  my  soul,  this  day  lay  down  thy  wishes  at 
Jesus'  feet !  If  thou  hast  of  late  been  somewhat 
wayward  and  wailful,  eager  to  be  and  to  do  after 
thine  own  mind,  now  dismiss  thy  foolish  self,  and 
place  the  reins  m  the  Lord's  hands.  Say,  "  He 
shall  choose."  If  others  dispute  the  sovereignty  of 
the  Lord,  and  glory  in  the  freewill  of  man,  do  thou 
answer  them,  "  He  shall  choose  for  me."  It  is  my 
freest  choice  to  let  him  choose.  As  a  free  agent,  I 
elect  that  he  should  have  absolute  sway. 


io6  jfaitb's  ^Ijeque  Book  April  15. 

"  T/ie. desire  of  the  righteons  shall  be  granted. " — Trov.  x.  24. 

BECAUSE  it  is  a  righteous  desire  it  is  safe  for 
God  to  grant  it.  It  would  be  neither  good 
for  the  man  himself,  nor  for  society  at  large,  that 
such  a  promise  should  be  made  to  the  unrighteous. 
Let  us  keep  the  Lord's  commands,  and  he  will 
rightfully  have  respect  to  our  desires. 

When  righteous  men  are  left  to  desire  unrighteous 
desires,  they  will  not  be  granted  to  them.  But  then 
these  are  not  their  real  desires  ;  they  are  their 
wanderings  or  blunders  ;  and  it  is  well  that  they 
should  be  refused.  Their  gracious  desires  shall 
come  before  the  Lord,  and  he  will  not  say  them  nay. 

Does  the  Lord  deny  us  our  requests  for  a  time } 
Let  the  promise  for  to-day  encourage  us  to  ask 
again.  Has  he  denied  us  altogether?  We  will 
thank  hini  still,  for  it  always  was  our  desire  that 
he  should  deny  us  if  he  judged  a  denial  to  be  best. 

As  to  some  things,  we  ask  very  boldly.  Our  chief 
desires  are  for  holiness,  usefulness,  likeness  to  Christ, 
preparedness  for  heaven.  These  are  the  desires  of 
grace  rather  than  of  nature — the  desires  of  the 
righteous  man  rather  than  of  the  mere  man.  God 
will  not  stint  us  in  these  things,  but  will  do  for  us 
exceeding  abundantly.  "  Delight  thyself  also  in 
the  Lord,  and  he  shall  give  thee  the  desires  of 
thine  heart."     This  day,  my  soul,  ask  largely  I 


April  i6.  iFaitfj'g  Cfjcque  Boolt.  107 

"/«  that  day  shall  there  be  upon  the  bells  of  the  horses. 
Holiness  unto  the  Lord" — Zech.  xiv.  20. 

HAPPY  day  when  all  things  shall  be  con- 
secrated, and  the  horses'  bells  shall  ring 
out  holiness  to  the  Lord!  That  day  has  come  to 
me.  Do  I  not  make  all  things  holy  to  God? 
These  garments,  when  I  put  them  on  or  take  them 
off,  shall  they  not  remind  me  of  the  righteousness 
of  Christ  Jesus,  my  Lord  ?  Shall  not  my  work  be 
done  as  unto  the  Lord  ?  Oh,  that  to-day  my 
clothes  may  be  vestments,  my  meals  sacraments, 
my  house  a  temple,  my  table  an  altar,  my  speech 
incense,  and  m}^self  a  priest !  Lord,  fulfil  thy  pro- 
mise, and  let  nothing  be  to  me  common  or  unclean. 
Let  me  in  faith  expect  this.  Believing  it  to  be 
so,  I  shall  be  helped  to  make  it  so.  As  I  myself  am 
the  property  of  Jesus,  my  Lord  may  take  an 
inventory  of  all  I  have,  for  it  is  altogether  his 
own  ;  and  I  resolve  to  prove  it  to  be  so  by  the  use 
to  which  I  put  it  this  day.  From  morning  till 
evening  I  would  order  all  things  by  a  happy  and 
holy  rule.  My  bells  shall  ring — why  should  they 
not  ?  Even  my  horses  shall  have  bells — who  has 
such  a  right  to  music  as  the  saints  have  ^  But  all 
my  bells,  my  music,  my  mirth,  shall  be  turned  to 
holiness,  and  shall  ring  out  the  name  of  "The 
Happy  God." 


io8  JFaitf)'s  C]^£que  Boolt.  April  17. 

*'  JV/im  a  viands  ways  please  the  Lord,  he  maketh  even 
his  enemies  to  be  at  peace  with  him!'' — Prov.  xvi.  7. 

I  MUST  see  that  my  ways  please  the  Lord.  Even 
then  I  shall  have  enemies  ;  and,  perhaps,  all 
the  more  certainly  because  I  endeavour  to  do  that 
which  is  right.  But  what  a  promise  this  is !  The 
Lord  will  make  the  wrath  of  man  to  praise  him, 
and  abate  it  so  that  it  shall  not  distress  me. 

He  can  constrain  an  enemy  to  desist  from  harm- 
ing me,  even  though  he  has  a  mind  to  do  so.  This 
he  did  with  Laban,  who  pursued  Jacob,  but  did  not 
dare  to  touch  him.  Or  he  can  subdue  the  wrath  of 
the  enemy,  and  make  him  friendly,  as  he  did  with 
Esau,  who  met  Jacob  in  a  brotherly  manner,  though 
Jacob  had  dreaded  that  he  would  smite  him  and 
his  family  with  the  sword.  The  Lord  can  also 
convert  a  furious  adversary  into  a  brother  in  Christ, 
and  a  fellow-worker,  as  he  did  with  Saul  of  Tarsus. 
Oh,  that  he  would  do  this  in  every  case  where  a 
persecuting  spirit  appears ! 

Happy  is  the  man  whose  enemies  are  made  to  be 
to  him  what  the  lions  were  to  Daniel  in  the  den, 
quiet  and  companionable!  When  I  meet  death,  who 
is  called  the  last  enemy,  I  pray  that  I  may  be  at 
peace.  Only  let  my  great  care  be  to  please  the 
Lord  in  all  things.  Oh,  for  faith  and  holiness;  for 
these  are  a  pleasure  unto  the  Most  High! 


Apkil  i8.  iFaitiya  Cljcque  Book.  109 

"/  will  be  with  thee :  I  will  not  fail  thee,  nor  forsake 
thee." — ^josh.  i.  5. 

THIS  word  to  Joshua  is  often  quoted  ;  it  is  the 
basis  of  that  New  Testament  word,  "He  hath 
said,  I  will  never  leave  thee,  nor  forsake  thee." 

Beloved,  a  life  of  warfare  is  before  us,  but  the 
Lord  of  Hosts  is  with  us.  Are  we  called  to  lead  a 
great  but  fickle  people  ?  This  promise  guarantees 
us  all  the  wisdom  and  prudence  that  we  shall  neod. 
Have  we  to  contend  with  cunning  and  powerful 
enemies?  Here  is  strength  and  valour,  prowess 
and  victory.  Have  we  a  vast  heritage  to  win  ?  By 
this  sign  we  shall  achieve  our  purpose  ;  the  Lord 
himself  is  with  us. 

It  would  be  woe  to  us  indeed  if  Jehovah  could 
fail  us ;  but,  as  this  can  never  be,  the  winds  of 
disquietude  are  laid  to  sleep  in  the  caverns  of 
divine  faithfulness.  On  no  one  occasion  will  the 
Lord  desert  us.  Happen  what  may,  he  will  be  at 
our  side.  Friends  drop  from  us,  their  help  is  but 
an  April  shower;  but  God  is  faithful,  Jesus  is  the 
same  for  ever,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  abideth  in  us. 

Come,  my  heart,  be  calm  and  hopeful  to-day. 
Clouds  may  gather,  but  the  Lord  can  blow  them 
away.  Since  God  will  not  fail  me,  my  faith  shall 
not  fail ;  and,  as  he  will  not  forsake  me,  neither  will 
I  forsake  him.     Oh  for  a  restful  faith  I 


no  jFaitlj'g  €I)eqii£  13ook.  Apru.  19. 

'■'■For  thus  saith  the  Lord  God ;  Behold,  I,  even  I,  iviil 
both  search  my  sheep,  and  seek  them  out." — Ez.  xxxiv.  11. 

THIS  he  does  at  the  first  when  his  elect  are  Hke 
wandering  sheep  that  know  not  the  shepherd 
or  the  fold.  How  wonderfully  doth  the  Lord  find 
out  his  chosen  !  Jesus  is  great  as  a  seeking  shepherd 
as  well  as  a  saving  shepherd.  Though  many  of 
those  his  Father  gave  him  have  gone  as  near  to 
hell-gate  as  they  well  can,  yet  the  Lord  by  search- 
ing and  seeking  discovers  them,  and  draws  nigh  to 
them  in  grace.  He  has  sought  out  us  :  let  us  ha\e 
good  hope  for  those  who  are  laid  upon  our  hearts 
in  prayer,  for  he  will  find  them  out  also. 

The  Lord  repeats  this  process  when  any  of  his 
flock  stray  from  the  pastures  of  truth  and  holiness. 
They  may  fall  into  gross  error,  sad  sin,  and  grievous 
hardness  ;  but  yet  the  Lord,  who  has  become  a 
surety  for  them  to  his  Father,  will  not  suffer  one  of 
them  to  go  so  far  as  to  perish.  He  will  by  pro- 
vidence and  grace  pursue  them  into  foreign  lands, 
into  abodes  of  poverty,  into  dens  of  obscurity,  into 
deeps  of  despair  ;  he  will  not  lose  one  of  all  tliat 
the  Father  has  given  him.  It  is  a  point  of  honour 
with  Jesus  to  seek  and  to  save  all  the  flock,  with- 
out a  single  exception.  What  a  promise  to  plead, 
if  at  this  hour  I  am  compelled  to  cry, "  I  have  gone 
astray  like  a  lost  sheep  "  ! 


April  20.  JFaillj's  Cfjcqiic  13ocIt.  iir 

'■''llie  just  shall  live  by  faiths — Rom.  i.  17. 

I  SHALL  not  die.  I  can,  I  do  believe  in  the  Lord 
my  God,  and  this  faith  will  keep  me  alive.  I 
would  be  numbered  among  those  who  in  their  lives 
are  just ;  but  even  if  I  were  perfect  I  would  not 
try  to  live  by  my  righteousness  ;  I  would  cling  to 
the  work  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  still  live  by  faith 
in  him  and  by  nothing  else.  If  I  were  able  to  give 
my  body  to  be  burned  for  my  Lord  Jesus,  yet  I 
would  not  trust  in  my  own  courage  and  constancy, 
but  still  would  live  by  faith. 

"  Were  I  a  martyr  at  the  stake 
I'd  plead  my  Saviour's  name  ; 
Intreat  a  p  irdon  for  his  sake, 
And  urge  no  other  claim." 

To  live  by  faith  is  a  far  surer  and  happier  thing 
than  to  live  by  feelings  or  by  works.  I'he  branch, 
by  living  in  the  vine,  lives  a  better  life  than  it  would 
live  by  itself,  even  if  it  were  possible  for  it  to  live 
at  all  apart  from  the  stem.  To  live  by  clinging  to 
Jesus,  by  deriving  all  from  him,  is  a  sweet  and 
sacred  thing.  If  even  the  m.ost  just  must  live 
in  this  fashion,  how  much  more  must  I  who  am  a 
poor  sinner!  Lord,  I  believe.  I  must  trust  thee 
wholly.  What  else  can  I  do  ?  Trusting  thee  is 
my  life.  I  feel  it  to  be  so.  I  will  abide  by  this 
even  to  the  end. 


112  iFait[)'0  CljequE  Book.  April  21. 

'■'■He  that  hath  pity  upon  the  poor  leudeth  unto  the  Lord; 
and  that  which  he  hath  given  will  he  pay  him  agaifi." 
Prov.  xix.  17. 

WE  are  to  give  to  the  poor  out  of  pity.  Not 
to  be  seen  and  applauded,  much  less  to 
get  influence  over  them  ;  but  out  of  pure  sympathy 
and  compassion  we  must  give  them  help. 

We  must  not  expect  to  get  anything  back  from 
the  poor,  not  even  gratitude  ;  but  we  should  regard 
what  we  have  done  as  a  loan  to  the  Lord.  He 
undertakes  the  obligation,  and,  if  we  look  to  him 
in  the  matter,  we  must  not  look  to  the  second 
party.  What  an  honour  the  Lord  bestows  upon 
us  when  he  condescends  to  borrow  of  us !  That 
merchant  is  greatly  favoured  who  has  the  Lord  on 
his  books.  It  would  seem  a  pity  to  have  such  a 
name  down  for  a  paltry  pittance  ;  let  us  make  it 
a  heavy  amount.  The  next  needy  man  that  comes 
this  way,  let  us  help  him. 

As  for  re-payment,  we  can  hardly  think  of  it, 
and  yet  here  is  the  Lord's  note  of  hand.  Blessed 
be  his  name,  his  promise  to  pay  is  better  than  gold 
and  silver.  Are  we  running  a  little  short  through 
the  depression  of  the  times  ?  We  may  venture 
humbly  to  present  this  bill  at  the  Bank  of  Faith. 
Has  any  one  of  our  readers  been  a  bit  of  a  screw  to 
the  poor  ?     Poor  soul.     May  the  Lord  forgive  him. 


April  22.  jFaitlj's  Cljfquc  13ooU.  113 

^'■The  Lord  opeiieth  the  eyes  of  iJie  blind :  the  Lord 
raiseth  them  that  are  bowed  down.''' — rs.  cxlvi.  8. 

A]\I  I  bowed  down  ?  Then  let  me  urge  this 
word  of  grace  before  the  Lord.  It  is  his 
v/ay,  his  custom,  his  promise,  his  delight,  to  raise 
up  them  that  are  bowed  down.  Is  it  a  sense  of 
sin,  and  a  consequent  depression  of  spirit,  which 
now  distresses  me  ?  Then  the  work  of  Jesus  is, 
in  this  case,  made  and  provided  to  raise  me  up  into 
rest.     O  Lord,  raise  me,  for  thy  mercy  sake ! 

Is  it  a  sad  bereavement,  or  a  great  fall  in  cir- 
cumstances ?  Here  again  the  Comforter  has  under- 
taken to  console.  What  a  mercy  for  us  that  one 
person  of  the  Sacred  Trinity  should  become  the 
Comforter !  This  work  will  be  well  done,  since 
such  a  glorious  One  has  made  it  his  peculiar  care. 

Some  are  so  bowed  down  that  only  Jesus  can 
loose  them  from  their  infirmity,  but  he  can,  and 
he  will,  do  it.  He  can  raise  us  up  to  health,  to 
hope,  to  happiness.  He  has  often  done  so  under 
former  trials,  and  he  is  the  same  Saviour,  and  will 
repeat  his  deeds  of  loving-kindness.  We  who  are 
to-day  bowed  down  and  sorrowful,  shall  yet  be  set 
on  high,  and  those  who  now  mock  at  us  shall  be 
greatly  ashamed.  What  an  honour  to  be  raised  up 
by  the  Lord  !  It  is  worth  while  to  be  bowed  down 
that  we  may  experience  his  upraising  power 

8 


114  jFaitb*3  Cfjcque  Book.  April  23. 

'■'■He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit 
saith  unto  the  churches ;  He  that  overcometh  shall  fiot  be 
hurt  of  the  second  death." — Rev.  ii.  11. 

THE  first  death  we  must  endure  unless  the 
Lord  should  suddenly  come  to  his  temple. 
For  this  let  us  abide  in  readiness,  awaiting  it  with- 
out fear,  since  Jesus  has  transformed  death  from  a 
dreary  cavern  into  a  passage  leading  to  glory. 

The  thing  to  be  feared  is  not  the  first,  but  the 
second  death  ;  not  the  parting  of  the  soul  from  the 
body,  but  the  final  separation  of  the  entire  man 
from  God.  This  is  death  indeed.  This  death  kills 
all  peace,  joy,  happiness,  hope.  When  God  is  gone 
all  is  gone.  Such  a  death  is  far  worse  than  ceasing 
to  be  :  it  is  existence  without  the  life  which  makes 
existence  worth  the  having. 

Now,  if  by  God's  grace  we  fight  on  to  the  end, 
and  conquer  in  the  glorious  war,  no  second  death 
can  lay  its  chill  finger  upon  us.  We  shall  have  no 
fear  of  death  and  hell,  for  we  shall  receive  a  crown 
of  life  which  fadeth  not  away.  How  this  nerves  us 
for  the  fight !  Eternal  life  is  worth  a  life's  battle. 
To  escape  the  hurt  of  the  second  death  is  a  thing 
worth  struggling  for  throughout  a  lifetime. 

Lord,  give  us  faith,  so  that  we  may  overcome, 
and  then  grant  us  grace  to  remain  unharmed 
though  sin  and  Satan  dog  our  heels  1 


April  24.  Jaillj's  €!)cquf  DooU.  115 

''''Brinii  ye  all  the  tithes  into  the  storehouse,  that  thtre 
may  be  meat  in  mine  house,  and  prove  me  now  /lenwith, 
saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  if  1 7i>ill  not  open  you  the  ivindon'S 
of  heaven,  and  pour  you  out  a  blessing,  that  there  shall  not 
be  rjom  ennigh  to  receive  it." — MaI.  iii.  10. 

MANY  read  and  plead  this  promise  without 
noticing  the  condition  upon  which  the 
blessing  is  promised.  We  cannot  expect  heaven 
to  be  opened  or  blessing  poured  out  unless  we  pay 
our  dues  unto  the  Lord  our  God  and  to  his  cause. 
There  would  be  no  lack  of  funds  for  holy  purposes 
if  all  professing  Christians  paid  their  fair  share. 

Many  are  poor  because  they  rob  God.  Many 
churches,  also,  miss  the  visitations  of  the  Spirit  be- 
cause they  starve  their  ministers.  If  there  is  no 
temporal  meat  for  God's  servants,  we  need  not 
wonder  if  their  ministry  has  but  little  food  in  it  for 
our  souls.  When  missions  pine  for  means,  and 
the  work  of  the  Lord  is  hindered  by  an  empty 
trcnsur}^  how  can  we  look  for  a  large  amount  of 
soul-prosperity  ? 

Come,  come  !  What  have  I  given  of  late. -*  Have 
I  been  mean  to  my  God  ?  Have  I  stinted  my 
Saviour?  This  will  never  do.  Let  me  give  my 
Lord  Jesus  his  tithe  by  helping  the  poor,  and 
aiding  his  work,  and  then  I  shall  prove  his  power 
to  bless  me  on  a  large  scale. 


ii6  jFaiilj's  Cfjcque  Book.  Avril  25. 

'''The just  man  walketh  in  his  i?iteg?-i/y :  his  children  are 
blessed  after  him." — Prov.  xx.  7. 

ANXIETY  about  our  family  is  natural,  but  we 
shall  be  wise  if  we  turn  it  into  care  about 
our  own  character.  If  we  walk  before  the  Lord  in 
integrity,  we  shall  do  more  to  bless  our  descendants 
than  if  we  bequeathed  them  large  estates.  A 
father's  holy  life  is  a  rich  legacy  for  his  sons. 

The  upright  man  leaves  his  heirs  his  example, 
and  this  in  itself  will  be  a  mine  of  true  wealth. 
How  many  men  may  trace  their  success  in  life  to 
the  example  of  their  parents  ! 

He  leaves  them  also  his  repute.  Men  think  all 
the  better  of  us  as  the  sons  of  a  man  who  could  be 
trusted,  the  successors  of  a  tradesman  of  excellent 
repute.  Oh,  that  all  young  men  were  anxious  to 
keep  up  the  family  name  ! 

Above  all,  he  leaves  his  children  his  prayers  and 
the  blessing  of  a  prayer-hearing  God,  and  these 
make  our  offspring  to  be  favoured  among  the  sons 
of  men.  God  will  save  them  even  after  we  are 
dead.     Oh,  that  they  might  be  saved  at  once! 

Our  integrity  may  be  God's  means  of  saving  our 
sons  and  daughters.  If  they  see  the  truth  of  our 
religion  proved  by  our  lives,  it  may  be  that  they  will 
believe  in  Jesus  for  themselves.  Lord,  fulfil  this 
word  to  my  household  1 


April  26.  iFaitlj's  (Jljfqtic  13 00ft.  117 

''And  the  Lord  thy  God  shall  bless  thee  in  all  that  thou 
doest." — Deut.  xv.  18. 

AN  Israel itish  master  was  to  give  his  bond- 
servant liberty  in  due  time,  and  when  he  left 
his  service  he  was  to  start  him  in  life  with  a 
liberal  portion.  This  was  to  be  done  heartily  and 
cheerfully,  and  then  the  Lord  promised  to  bless  the 
generous  act.  The  spirit  of  this  precept,  and,  indeed, 
the  whole  law  of  Christ,  binds  us  to  treat  work- 
people well.  We  ought  to  remember  how  the  Lord 
has  dealt  with  us,  and  that  this  renders  it  abso- 
lutely needful  that  we  should  deal  graciously  with 
others.  It  becomes  those  to  be  generous  who  are 
the  children  of  a  gracious  God.  How  can  we 
expect  our  great  Master  to  bless  us  in  our  business 
if  we  oppress  those  who  serve  us  ? 

What  a  benediction  is  here  set  before  the  liberal 
mind  !  To  be  blessed  in  all  that  we  do  is  to  be 
blessed  indeed.  The  Lord  will  send  us  this  partly 
in  prosperity,  partly  in  content  of  mind,  and  partly 
in  a  sense  of  his  favour,  which  is  the  best  of  all 
blessings.  He  can  make  us  feel  that  we  are  under 
his  special  care,  and  are  surrounded  by  his  peculiar 
love.  This  makes  this  earthly  life  a  joyous  prelude 
to  the  life  to  come.  God's  blessing  is  more  than  a 
fortune.  It  maketh  rich,  and  addeth  no  sorrow 
therewith. 


ii8  ifai'tljs  €|jcqtic  Bcort.  Aprtl  27. 

'■^The  Lord  will  perfect  that    which   conca-tulh   me* 
Ps.  cxxxviii.  8. 

HE  \^'ho  has  bc^un  will  carry  on  the  work 
which  is  being  wrought  within  my  soul. 
The  Lord  is  concerned  about  everything  that  con- 
cerns me.  All  that  is  now  good,  but  not  perfect, 
the  Lord  will  watch  over,  and  preserve,  and  carry 
out  to  completion.  This  is  a  great  comfort.  I 
could  not  perfect  the  work  of  grace  myself.  Of 
that  I  am  quite  sure,  for  I  fail  every  day,  and 
have  only  held  on  so  long  as  I  have  because  the 
Lord  has  helped  me.  If  the  Lord  were  to  leave 
me,  all  my  past  experience  would  go  for  nothing, 
and  I  should  perish  from  the  way.  But  the  Lord 
will  continue  to  bless  me.  Lie  will  perfect  my  faith, 
my  love,  my  character,  my  life-work.  He  will  do 
this  because  he  has  begun  a  work  in  me.  He  gave 
me  the  concern  I  feel,  and,  in  a  measure,  he  has 
fulfilled  my  gracious  aspirations.  He  never  leaves 
a  work  unfinished  ;  this  would  not  be  for  his  glory, 
nor  would  it  be  like  him.  He  knows  how  to 
accomplish  his  gracious  design,  and  though  my 
own  evil  nature,  and  the  world,  and  the  devil,  all 
conspire  to  hinder  him,  I  do  not  doubt  his  promise. 
He  will  perfect  that  which  concerneth  me,  and  I 
will  praise  him  for  ever.  Lord,  let  thy  gracious 
work  make  some  advance  this  dayl 


April  28.  jFaitfl's  Cljcquc  53ooIt.  119 

'''■  I  will  dwell  in  iliem,  andivalk  iii  them ;  and  I  7vill  be 
their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my  people'' — 2  Cor.  vi.  16. 

HERE  is  a  mutual  interest.  Each  belongs  to 
each.  God  is  the  portion  of  his  people,  and 
the  chosen  people  are  the  portion  of  their  God. 
The  saints  find  in  God  their  chief  possession,  and 
he  reckons  them  to  be  his  peculiar  treasure.  What 
a  mine  of  comfort  lies  in  this  fact  for  each  believer! 

This  happy  condition  of  mutual  interest  leads  to 
vuitual  consideration.  God  will  always  think  of 
his  own  people,  and  they  will  always  think  of  him. 
This  day  my  God  will  perform  all  things  for  me  ; 
what  can  I  do  for  him  ?  My  thoughts  ought  to 
run  towards  him,  for  he  thinketh  upon  me.  Let 
me  make  sure  that  it  is  so,  and  not  be  content  with 
merely  admitting  that  so  it  ought  to  be. 

This,  again,  leads  to  mutual  fellowship.  God 
dwells  in  us,  and  we  dwell  in  him  ;  he  walks  with 
us,  and  we  walk  with  God.  Happy  communion 
this  ! 

Oh,  for  grace  to  treat  the  Lord  as  my  God  :  to 
trust  him,  and  to  serve  him,  as  his  Godhead  deserves! 
Oh,  that  I  could  love,  worship,  adore,  and  obey 
Jehovah  in  spirit  and  in  truth '  this  is  my  heart's 
desire.  When  I  shall  attain  to  it,  I  shall  have 
found  my  heaven.  Lord,  help  me  !  Be  my  God  in 
helping  me  to  know  thcc  as  my  God,  for  Jesus'  sake. 


I20  Jaitlj's  (Cf)cquc  Book  April  29. 

''Say  fiot  ihou,  I  will  recompense  evil ;  but  wait  on  t/ie 
Lord,  and  he  shall  save  thee.'' — Prov.  xx.  22. 


BE  not  in  haste.  Let  anger  cool  down.  Say 
nothing  and  do  nothing  to  avenge  yourself- 
You  will  be  sure  to  act  unwisely  if  you  take  up  the 
cudgels  and  fight  your  own  battles;  and,  certainly, 
you  will  not  show  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  It 
is  nobler  to  forgive,  and  let  the  offence  pass.  To 
let  an  injury  rankle  in  your  bosom,  and  to  meditate 
revenge,  is  to  keep  old  wounds  open,  and  to  make 
new  ones.     Better  forget  and  forgive. 

Peradventure,  you  say  that  you  must  do  some- 
thing or  be  a  great  loser ;  then  do  what  this 
morning's  promise  advises  :  "  Wait  on  the  Lord, 
and  he  shall  save  thee."  This  advice  will  not  cost 
you  six-and-eight  pence,  but  it  is  worth  far  more. 
Be  calm  and  quiet.  Wait  upon  the  Lord  :  tell 
him  your  grievance :  spread  Rab-shakeh's  letter 
before  the  Lord,  and  this  of  itself  will  be  an 
ease  to  your  burdened  mind.  Besides,  there  is  the 
promise,  "  He  shall  save  thee."  God  will  find  a 
way  of  deliverance  for  you.  How  he  will  do  it 
neither  you  nor  I  can  guess,  but  do  it  he  will.  If 
the  Lord  save  you,  this  will  be  a  deal  better  than 
getting  into  petty  quarrels,  and  covering  yourself 
with  filth  by  wrestHng  with  the  unclean.  Be  no 
more  angry.     Leave  your  suit  with  the  Judge  of  all. 


April  30.  jFaitlj's  CKjeque  Book  121 

"To  him  that  (roercometh  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  hid, ten 
manna,  and  ^vill  give  him  a  white  stone,  and  in  the  stone 
a  netv  name  written,  which  no  man  knowcth  saving  he  that 
receiveth  it." — Rev.  ii.  17. 

MY  heart,  be  thou  stirred  up  to  persevere  in 
the  holy  war,  for  the  reward  of  victory  is 
great.  To  day  we  eat  of  heavenly  food  which 
falls  about  our  camps  ;  the  food  of  the  wilderness, 
the  food  which  comes  from  heaven,  the  food  which 
never  fails  the  pilgrims  to  Canaan.  But  there  is 
reserved  for  us  in  Christ  Jesus  a  still  higher  degree 
of  spiritual  life,  and  a  food  for  it  which,  as  yet,  is 
hidden  from  our  experience.  In  the  golden  pot 
which  was  laid  up  in  the  ark  there  was  a  portion 
of  manna  hidden  away,  which  though  kept  for  ages 
never  grew  stale.  No  one  ever  saw  it  ;  it  was  hid 
with  the  ark  of  the  covenant,  in  the  Holy  of  holies. 
Even  so,  the  highest  life  of  the  believer  is  hid  with 
Christ,  in  God.  We  shall  come  to  it  soon.  Being 
made  victorious  through  the  grace  of  our  Lord 
Jesus,  we  shall  eat  of  the  King's  meat,  and  feed 
upon  royal  dainties.  We  shall  feed  upon  Jesus. 
He  is  our  "  hidden  manna"  as  well  as  the  manna  of 
the  wilderness.  He  is  all  in  all  to  us  in  our  highest, 
as  well  as  in  our  lowest  estate.  He  helps  us  to 
fight,  gives  us  the  victory,  and  then  is  himself  our 
reward.     Lord,  help  mc  to  overcome. 


122  Jai'tlj's  €!jfqii£  Book.  May  i. 


'''The  mounta'ms  and  the  hills  shall  break  for! h  hfore 
you  into  singings  and  all  the  trees  of  the  field  shall  clap 
their  hands'' — is,  Iv.  12. 

WHEN  sin  is  pardoned,  our  greatest  sorrow  is 
ended,  and  our  truest  pleasure  begins. 
Such  is  the  joy  which  the  Lord  bestows  upon  his 
reconciled  ones,  that  it  overflows  and  fills  all  nature 
with  delight.  The  material  world  has  latent  music 
in  it,  and  a  renewed  heart  knows  how  to  bring  it 
out  and  make  it  vocal.  Creation  is  the  organ,  and 
a  gracious  man  finds  out  its  keys,  lays  his  hand 
thereon,  and  wakes  the  whole  system  of  the 
universe  to  the  harmony  of  praise.  Mountains  and 
hills,  and  other  great  objects,  are,  as  it  were,  the 
bass  of  the  chorus;  while  the  trees  of  the  wood, 
and  all  things  that  have  life,  take  up  the  air  of  the 
melodious  song. 

When  God's  word  is  made  to  prosper  among  us, 
and  souls  are  saved,  then  everything  seems  full  of 
song.  When  we  hear  the  confessions  of  young 
believers,  and  the  testimonies  of  well-instructed 
saints,  we  are  made  so  happy  that  we  must  praise 
the  Lord,  and  then  it  seems  as  if  rocks  and  hills, 
and  woods  and  fields,  echoed  our  joy-notes,  and 
turned  the  world  into  an  orchestra.  Lord,  on  this 
happy  May-day,  lead  me  out  into  thy  tuneful  world 
as  rich  in  praise  as  a  lark  in  full  song. 


May  2.  Jai'tlj's  Cljcqut  BjoL  123 

''He  that  soivelh  to  the  Spirit  shall  of  the  Spirit  raip 
life  everlastitig." — Gal.  vi.  8. 

SOWING  looks  like  a  losing  business,  for  we 
put  good  corn  into  the  ground  never  to  see 
it  any  more.  Sowing  to  the  Spirit  seems  a  very 
fanciful,  dreamy  business  ;  for  we  deny  ourselves, 
and  apparently  get  nothing  for  it.  Yet  if  we  sow 
to  the  Spirit  by  studying  to  live  unto  God,  seeking 
to  obey  the  will  of  God,  and  laying  ourselves  out 
to  promote  his  honour,  we  shall  not  sow  in  vain. 
Life  shall  be  our  reward,  even  everlasting  life.  This 
we  enjoy  here  as  we  enter  into  the  knowledge  of  God, 
communion  with  God,  and  enjoyment  of  God. 
This  life  flows  on  like  an  ever-deepening,  ever- 
widening  river,  till  it  bears  us  to  the  ocean  of 
infinite  felicity,  where  the  life  of  God  is  ours  for 
ever  and  ever. 

Let  us  not  this  day  sow  to  our  flesh,  for  the 
harvest  will  be  corruption,  since  flesh  always  tends 
that  way;  but  with  holy  self-conquest  let  us  live 
for  the  highest,  purest,  and  most  spiritual  ends, 
seeking  to  honour  our  most  holy  Lord  by  obeying 
his  most  gracious  Spirit.  What  a  harvest  will 
that  be  when  we  reap  life  everlasting  1  What 
sheaves  of  endless  bliss  will  be  reaped  !  What  a 
festival  will  that  harvest  be !  Lord,  make  us  such 
reapers,  for  thy  Son's  sake. 


124  ^"illj's  ^E^fjrquc  33oo!t.  May  3. 

^'And  let  it  be.  when  thsti  hearest  the  sound  of  a  going  in 
the  tops  of  the  mnlberrv  tries,  that  then  thou  shalt  bestir 
thyself :  for  then  shall  the  Lord  go  out  before  thee,  to  smite 
the  host  of  the  Fh  lisii/iesi" — 2  Sam.  v.  24. 

THERE  are  signs  of  the  Lord's  moving  which 
should  move  us.  The  Spirit  of  God  blows 
where  he  listeth,  and  we  hear  the  sound  thereof. 
Then  is  the  time  for  us  to  be  more  than  ever  astir. 
We  must  seize  the  golden  opportunity,  and  make 
the  most  we  -can  of  it.  It  is  ours  to  fight  the 
Philistines  at  all  times  ;  but  when  the  Lord  himself 
goes  out  before  us,  then  we  should  be  specially 
valiant  in  the  war. 

The  breeze  stirred  the  tops  of  the  trees,  and 
David  and  his  men  took  this  for  the  signal  for  an 
onslaught,  and  at  their  advance  the  Lord,  himself, 
smote  the  Philistines.  Oh,  that  this  day  the  Lord 
may  give  us  an  opening  to  speak  for  him  with 
many  of  our  friends  1  Let  us  be  on  the  watch  to 
avail  ourselves  of  the  hopeful  opening  when  it 
comes.  Who  knows  but  this  may  be  a  day  of  good 
tidings;  a  season  of  soul-winning.  Let  us  keep  our 
ear  open  to  hear  the  rustle  of  the  wind,  and  our 
minds  ready  to  obey  the  signal.  Is  not  this  pro- 
mise. "  then  shall  the  Lord  go  out  before  thee,"  a 
sufficient  encouragement  to  play  the  man  ?  Since 
the  Lord  goes  before  us,  we  dare  not  hold  back. 


May  4-  iFnillj'g  Cljcqiie  ijooft.  125 

^'Rejoice  vot  a(:;ainst  vie,  O  mine  enemy:  u>]ien  I  fall,  1 
shall  arise ;  when  I  sit  in  darkness,  the  Lord  shall  be  a 
light  unto  me."—  Micah  vii.  8. 

'^T^IIIS  may  express  the  feeling  of  a  man  or 
-L  woman  down-trodden  and  oppressed.  Our 
enemy  may  put  out  our  light  for  a  season.  There 
is  sure  liope  for  us  in  the  Lord  ;  and  if  we  are 
trusting  in  him,  and  holding  fast  our  integrit}',  our 
season  of  downcasting  and  darkness  will  soon  be 
over.  The  insults  of  the  foe  are  only  for  a  moment. 
The  Lord  will  soon  turn  their  laughter  into  lamen- 
tation, and  our  sighing  into  singing. 

What  if  the  great  enemy  of  souls  should  for  a 
while  triumph  over  us,  as  he  has  triumphed  over 
better  men  than  we  are,  yet  let  us  take  heart,  for 
we  shall  overcome  him  before  long.  We  shall  rise 
from  our  fall,  for  our  God  has  not  fallen,  and  he 
will  lift  us  up.  We  shall  not  abide  in  darkness, 
although  for  the  moment  we  sit  in  it ;  for  our 
Lord  is  the  fountain  of  light,  and  he  will  soon 
bring  us  a  joyful  day.  Let  us  not  despair,  or  even 
doubt.  One  turn  of  the  wheel  and  the  lowest  will 
be  at  the  top.  Woe  unto  those  who  laugh  now, 
for  they  shall  mourn  and  weep  when  their  boasting 
is  turned  into  everlasting  contempt.  But  blessed 
are  all  holy  mourners,  for  they  shall  be  divinely 
comforted. 


126  Jait|)'B  Cf)fqu£  Baolt.  Mays. 

"77/^  Lord  thy  God  will  turn  thy  captivity." — Deut.  xxx.  3. 

GOD'S  own  people  may  sell  themselves  into 
captivity  by  sin.  A  very  bitter  fruit  is  this, 
of  an  exceeding  bitter  root.  What  a  bondage  it  is 
when  the  child  of  God  is  sold  under  sin,  held  in 
chains  by  Satan,  deprived  of  his  liberty,  robbed  of 
his  power  in  prayer,  and  his  delight  in  the  Lord  ! 
Let  us  watch  that  we  come  not  into  such  bondage  ; 
but  if  this  has  already  happened  to  us,  let  us  by  no 
means  despair. 

But  we  cannot  be  held  in  slavery  for  ever.  The 
Lord  Jesus  has  paid  too  high  a  price  for  our 
redemption  to  leave  us  in  the  enemy's  hand.  The 
way  to  freedom  is,  "  Return  unto  the  Lord  thy  God." 
Where  we  first  found  salvation  we  shall  find  it 
again.  At  the  foot  of  Christ's  cross  confessing  sin 
we  shall  find  pardon  and  deliverance.  Moreover, 
the  Lord  will  have  us  obey  his  voice  according  to 
all  that  he  has  commanded  us,  and  we  must  do 
this  with  all  our  heart,  and  all  our  soul,  and  then 
our  captivity  shall  end. 

Often  depression  of  spirit  and  great  misery  of 
soul  are  removed  as  soon  as  we  quit  our  idols  and 
bow  ourselves  in  obedience  before  the  living  God. 
We  need  not  be  captives.  We  may  return  to  Zion's 
citizenship,  and  that  speedily.  Lord,  turn  our 
captivity  I 


>f AY  6.  5ait[)'0  djfquc  Booh.  127 

'■Let  tiot  thine  heat-t  envy  siimei  s :  but  be  thou  in  the  fear 
of  the  Lord  all  the  day  long.  For  surely  there  is  an  end  ; 
and  thine  expedat ion  shall  not  be  cut  of." — Pruv.  xxiii.  17.  18. 

WHEN  we  sec  the  wicked  prosper  we  arc  apt 
to  envy  them.  When  we  hear  the  noise 
of  their  mirth,  and  our  own  spirit  is  heavy,  we  half 
think  that  they  have  the  best  of  it.  This  is  fooHsh 
and  sinful.  If  we  knew  them  better,  and  specially 
if  we  remembered  their  end,  we  should  pity  them. 

The  cure  for  envy  lies  in  living  under  a  constant 
sense  of  the  divine  presence,  worshipping  God  and 
communing  with  him  all  the  day  long,  however  long 
the  day  may  seem.  True  religion  lifts  the  soul  into 
a  higher  region,  where  the  judgment  becomes  more 
clear,  and  the  desires  are  more  elevated.  The  more 
of  heaven  there  is  in  our  lives,  the  less  of  earth  we 
shall  covet.  The  fear  of  God  casts  out  envy  of 
men. 

The  death-blow  of  envy  is  a  calm  consideration 
of  the  future.  The  wealth  and  glory  of  the  ungodly 
are  a  vain  show.  This  pompous  appearance  flashes 
out  for  an  hour,  and  then  is  extinguished.  What 
is  the  prosperous  sinner  the  better  for  his  pro- 
sperity when  judgment  overtakes  him  ?  As  for  the 
godly  man,  his  end  is  peace  and  blessedness,  and 
none  can  rob  him  of  his  joy  ;  wherefore,  let  him 
forego  envy,  and  be  filled  with  sweet  content. 


128  iFaitlj's  Cljrqur  Booh.  May  7. 

^'•A?id  there  shall  cleave  fiought  of  the  cursed  thing  to 

thine  hand :  that  the  Lord  may  turn  from  the  fierceness  of 

his  anger,  and  show  thee  mercy,  and  have  compassion  upon 

thee,  and  multiply  thee,  as  he  hath  sworn  tinto  thy  fathers.^* 

Deut.  xiii.  17. 

ISRAEL  must  conquer  idolatrous  cities,  and  de- 
stroy all  the  spoil,  regarding  all  that  had  been 
polluted  by  idolatry  as  an  accursed  thing  to  be 
burned  with  fire.  Now,  sin  of  all  sorts  must  be 
treated  by  Christians  in  the  same  manner.  We 
must  not  allow  a  single  evil  habit  to  remain.  It  is 
now  war  to  the  knife  with  sins  of  all  sorts  and 
sizes,  whether  of  the  body,  the  mind,  or  the  spirit. 
We  do  not  look  upon  this  giving  up  of  evil  as 
deserving  mercy,  but  we  regard  it  as  a  fruit  of  the 
grace  of  God,  which  we  would  on  no  account  miss. 
When  God  causes  us  to  have  no  mercy  on  our 
sins,  then  he  has  great  mercy  on  us.  When  we  are 
angry  with  evil,  God  is  no  more  angry  with  us. 
When  we  multiply  our  efforts  against  iniquity,  the 
Lord  multiplies  our  blessings.  The  way  of  peace, 
of  growth,  of  safety,  of  joy  in  Christ  Jesus,  will  be 
found  by  following  out  these  words  :  "  There  shall 
nought  of  the  cursed  thing  cleave  to  thine  hand." 
Lord,  purify  me  this  day.  Compassion,  prosperity, 
increase,  and  joy,  will  surely  be  given  to  those  who 
put  away  sin  with  solemn  resolution. 


May  8.  iFafll)'0  fi!ri)fqiie  13ooI{.  129 

"  Go  ye  also  into  the  vineyard ;  and  whatsoever  is  ri/^ht, 
that  shall  ye  receive.^' — Matt.  xx.  7. 

YES,  there  is  work  in  Christ's  vineyard  for  old 
bodies.  It  is  the  eleventh  hour,  and  yet  he 
will  let  us  work.  What  great  grace  is  this  !  Surely 
every  old  man  ought  to  jump  at  this  invitation  ! 
After  men  are  advanced  in  years  nobody  wants 
them  as  servants  ;  they  go  from  shop  to  shop,  and 
employers  look  at  their  grey  hairs,  and  shake  their 
heads.  But  Jesus  will  engage  old  people,  and  give 
them  good  wages  too  !  This  is  mercy  indeed.  Lord, 
help  the  aged  to  enlist  in  thy  service  without  an 
hour's  delay. 

But  will  the  Lord  pay  wages  to  worn-out  old 
men?  Do  not  doubt  it.  He  says,  he  will  give 
you  what  is  right  if  you  will  work  in  his  field. 
He  will  surely  give  you  grace  here  and  glory  here- 
after. He  will  grant  present  comfort  and  future 
rest ;  strength  equal  to  your  day,  and  a  vision  of 
glory  when  the  night  of  death  comes  on.  All  these 
the  Lord  Jesus  will  as  freely  give  to  the  aged 
convert  as  to  one  who  enters  his  service  in  his  youth. 

Let  me  tell  this  to  some  unsaved  old  man  or  old 
woman,  and  pray  the  Lord  to  bless  it,  for  Jesus* 
sake.  Where  can  I  find  such  persons?  I  will  be 
on  the  look-out  for  them,  and  kindly  tell  them  the 
news. 

9 


133  dFai'tlj's  Cf)fqu£  13ocIt.  May  9. 

'■'■  For  our  heart  shall  rejoice  in  him,  because  we  have 
trusted  in  his  holy  na7ne." — Ps.  xxxiii.  21. 

THE  root  of  faith  produces  the  flower  of  heart- 
joy.  We  may  not  at  the  first  rejoice,  but  it 
comes  in  due  time.  We  trust  the  Lord  when  we 
are  sad,  and  in  due  season  he  so  answers  our  confi- 
dence that  our  faith  turns  to  fruition  and  we  rejoice 
in  the  Lord.  Doubt  breeds  distress,  but  trust 
means  joy  in  the  lonsf  run. 

The  assurance  expressed  by  the  Psalmist  in  this 
verse  is  really  a  promise  held  out  in  the  hands  of 
holy  confidence.  Oh  for  grace  to  appropriate  it. 
If  we  do  not  rejoice  at  this  moment,  yet  we  shall 
do  so,  as  surely  as  David's  God  is  our  God. 

Let  us  meditate  upon  the  Lord's  holy  name,  that 
we  may  trust  him  the  better  and  rejoice  the  more 
readily.  He  is  in  character  holy,  just,  true,  gracious, 
faithful  and  unchanging.  Is  not  such  a  God  to  be 
trusted  ?  He  is  all-wise,  almighty,  and  everywhere 
present,  can  we  not  cheerfully  rely  upon  him.''  Yes, 
we  will  do  so  at  once,  and  do  so  without  reserve. 
Jehovah-Jireh  will  provide,  Jehovah-Shalom  will 
send  peace,  Jehovah-Tsidkenu  will  justify,  Jehovah- 
Shammah  will  be  for  ever  near,  and  in  Jehovah- 
Nissi  we  will  conquer  every  foe.  They  that  know 
thy  name  will  trust  thee  ;  and  they  that  trust  thee 
will  rejoice  in  thee,  O  Lord. 


May  in.  JFai'tlj's  CIjequE  CooFt.  131 

"So  that  we  may  boldly  say,  The  Lord  is  my  helper,  and 
I  ivill  not  fear  what  man  shall  do  unto  fne." — iieb.  xiii.  6. 

BECAUSE  God  will  never  leave  nor  forsake 
us,  we  may  well  be  content  with  such  things 
as  we  have.  Since  the  Lord  is  ours,  we  cannot  be 
left  without  a  friend,  a  treasure,  and  a  dwelling- 
place.  This  assurance  may  make  us  feel  quite 
independent  of  men.  Under  such  high  patronage 
we  do  not  feel  tempted  to  cringe  before  our  fellow- 
men,  and  ask  of  them  permission  to  call  our  lives 
our  own  ;  but  what  we  say  we  boldly  say,  and  defy 
contradiction. 

He  who  fears  God  has  nothing  else  to  fear.  We 
should  stand  in  such  awe  of  the  living  Lord  that 
all  the  threats  that  can  be  used  by  the  proudest 
persecutor  should  have  no  more  effect  upon  us  than 
the  whistling  of  the  wind.  Man  in  these  days  can- 
not do  so  much  against  us  as  he  could  when  the 
apostle  wrote  the  verse  at  the  head  of  this  page. 
Racks  and  stakes  are  out  of  fashion.  Giant  Pope 
cannot  burn  the  pilgrims  now.  If  the  followers  of 
false  teachers  try  cruel  mockery  and  scorn,  we  do 
not  wonder  at  it,  for  the  men  of  this  world  cannot 
love  the  heavenly  seed.  What  then  ?  We  must 
bear  the  world's  scorn.  It  breaks  no  bones.  God 
helping  us,  let  us  be  bold,  and  when  the  world 
rages  let  it  rage,  but  let  us  not  fear  it 


132  iFai't!)'3  Cljequc  Book.  May  ii. 

"  Gad,  a  troop  shall  overcome  him  :  but  he  shall  over- 
come at  the  last.'' — Gen.  xlix.  19. 

SOME  of  us  have  been  like  the  tribe  of  Gad.  Our 
adversaries  for  a  while  were  too  many  for  us, 
they  came  upon  us  like  a  troop.  Yes,  and  for  the 
moment  they  overcame  us  ;  and  they  exulted 
greatly  because  of  their  temporary  victory.  Thus 
they  only  proved  the  first  part  of  the  family 
heritage  to  be  really  ours,  for  Christ's  people  like 
Dan,  shall  have  a  troop  overcoming  them.  This 
being  overcome  is  very  painful,  and  we  should  have 
despaired  if  we  had  not  by  faith  believed  the  second 
line  of  our  father's  benediction,  "  He  sJiall  overcome 
at  the  last."  "  All's  well  that  ends  well,"  said  the 
world's  poet ;  and  he  spoke  the  truth.  A  war  is  to 
be  judged,  not  by  first  successes  or  defeats,  but  by 
that  which  happens  "at  the  last."  The  Lord  will 
give  to  truth  and  righteousness  victory  "  at  the 
last "  ;  and,  as  Mr.  Bunyan  says,  that  means  for 
ever,  for  nothing  can  come  after  the  last. 

What  we  need  is  patient  perseverance  in  well- 
doing, calm  confidence  in  our  glorious  Captain. 
Christ,  our  Lord  Jesus,  would  teach  us  his  holy 
art  of  setting  the  face  like  a  flint  to  go  through  with 
work  or  suffering  till  we  can  say,  "It  is  finished." 
Hallelujah.  Victory!  Victory!  We  believe  the 
promise.     "  He  shall  overcome  at  the  last." 


May  12.  JFai'tlj's  Cirque  Booft.  133 

"  W/ioso  kecpeth  thi fig  tree  shall  eat  the  fruit  thereof: 
to  he   that  waiteth   on   his   master  shall  be   honoured." 
Prov.  xxvii.  i8. 

HE  who  tends  the  fig  tree  has  figs  for  his  pains, 
and  he  who  waits  on  a  good  master  has 
honour  as  his  reward.  Truly  the  Lord  Jesus  is  the 
very  best  of  masters,  and  it  is  an  honour  to  be 
allowed  to  do  the  least  act  for  his  sake.  To  serve 
.some  lords  is  to  watch  over  a  crab  tree  and  eat  the 
crabs  as  one's  wages  ;  but  to  serve  my  Lord  Jesus 
is  to  keep  a  fig  tree  of  the  sweetest  figs.  His 
service  is  in  itself  delight,  continuance  in  it  is  pro- 
motion, success  in  it  is  blessedness  below,  and  the 
reward  for  it  is  glory  above. 

Our  greatest  honours  will  be  gathered  in  that 
season  when  the  figs  will  be  ripe,  even  in  the  next 
world.  Angels  who  are  now  our  servitors  will  bear 
us  home  when  our  day's  work  is  done.  Heaven, 
where  Jesus  is,  will  be  our  honourable  mansion, 
eternal  bliss  our  honourable  portion,  and  the  Lord 
himself  our  koi Durable  companion.  Who  can 
imagine  the  full  meaning  of  this  promise — "  He 
that  waiteth  on  his  master  shall  be  honoured  "  ? 

Lord,  help  me  to  wait  upon  my  Master.  Let  me 
leave  all  idea  of  honour  to  the  hour  when  thou 
thyself  shalt  honour  me.  May  thy  Holy  Spirit 
make  me  a  lowly  and  patient  worker  and  waiter ! 


134  ifaitfj's  Cfifquc  Book.  May  13. 

'■'■And  I  will  give  him  the  inorning  star," — Rev.  ii.  28. 

UNTIL  the  day  break,  and  the  shadows  flee 
away,  what  a  blessing  it  is  to  see  in  Jesus 
"the  morning  star" !  I  ren:iember  when  we  read  in 
the  newspapers  the  idle  tale  that  the  star  of  Bethle- 
hem had  again  appeared.  On  enquiry  we  found 
that  it  was  only  "  the  morning  star ''  ;  but  no  great 
mistake  had  been  made  after  all. 

It  is  best  to  see  Jesus  as  the  sun  ;  but  when  we 
cannot  do  so,  the  next  best  thing  is  to  see  him  as 
that  star  which  prophesies  the  day,  and  shows  that 
the  eternal  light  is  near  at  hand.  If  I  am  not  to- 
day all  that  I  hope  to  be,  yet  I  see  Jesus,  and 
that  assures  me  that  I  shall  one  day  be  like  him. 
A  sight  of  Jesus  by  faith  is  the  pledge  of  beholding 
him  in  his  glory  and  being  transformed  into  his 
image.  If  I  have  not  at  this  hour  all  the  light  and 
joy  I  could  desire,  yet  I  shall  have  it ;  for  as  surely 
as  I  see  the  morning  star  I  shall  see  the  day.  The 
morning  star  is  never  far  from  the  sun. 

Come,  my  soul,  has  the  Lord  given  thee  the 
morning  star?  Dost  thou  hold  fast  that  truth, 
grace,  hope,  and  love  which  the  Lord  has  given 
thee  ?  Then  in  this  thou  hast  the  dawn  of  coming 
glory.  He  that  makes  thee  overcome  evil,  and 
persevere  in  righteousness,  has  therein  given  thee 
the  morning  star. 


May  14.  iTaitVs  (Tljrquc  l^aoTt.  135 

"Co»ie,  and  let  us  return  unto  ike  Lord:  for  he  hath 
torn,  and  he  wiU  heal  us  ;  he  hatli  smitten,  and  he  will 
bind  us  ///."— Ilosea  vi.  i. 

IT  is  the  Lord's  way  to  tear  before  he  heals. 
This  is  the  honest  love  of  his  heart,  and  the 
sure  surgery  of  his  hand.  He  also  bruises  before 
he  binds  up,  or  else  it  would  be  uncertain  work. 
The  law  comes  before  the  gospel ;  the  sense  of  need 
before  the  supply  of  it.  Is  the  reader  now  under 
the  convincing,  crushing  hand  of  the  Spirit?  Has 
he  received  the  spirit  of  bondage  again  to  fear  ? 
This  is  a  salutary  preliminary  to  real  gospel  healing 
and  binding  up. 

Do  not  despair,  dear  heart,  but  come  to  the  Lord 
with  all  thy  jagged  wounds,  black  bruises,  and 
running  sores.  He  alone  can  heal,  and  he  delights 
to  do  it.  It  is  our  Lord's  office  to  bind  up  the 
broken-hearted,  and  he  is  gloriously  at  home  at  it. 
Let  us  not  linger,  but  at  once  return  unto  the  Lord 
from  whom  we  have  gone  astray.  Let  us  show  him 
our  gaping  wounds,  and  beseech  him  to  know  his 
own  work,  and  complete  it.  W'ill  a  surgeon  make 
an  incision,  and  then  leave  his  patient  to  bleed  to 
death  ?  Will  the  Lord  pull  down  our  old  house, 
and  then  refuse  to  build  us  a  better  one?  Dost 
thou  ever  wantonly  increase  the  mi:?cry  of  poor 
anxious  i-ouls?     That  be  far  from  thee,  O  Lord, 


136  ifntllj's  Cl^equc  13oo^  May  15. 

"/  7vill  set  him  on  high,  because  he  hath  kno'am  my 
name" — Ps.  xci.  14. 

DOES  the  Lord  say  this  to  mc  ?  Yes,  if  I  have 
known  his  name.  Blessed  be  the  Lord,  I  am 
no  stranger  to  him.  I  have  tried  him,  and  proved 
him,  and  known  him,  and,  therefore,  do  I  trust  him. 
I  know  his  name  as  a  sin-hating  God,  for  by  his 
Spirit's  convincing  power  I  have  been  taught  that 
he  will  never  wink  at  evil.  But  I  also  know  him 
as  the  sin-pardoning  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  for  he 
has  forgiven  me  all  trespasses.  His  name  is  faith- 
fulness, and  I  know  it,  for  he  has  never  forsaken  me 
though  my  troubles  have  multiplied  upon  me. 

This  knowledge  is  a  gift  of  grace,  and  the  Lord 
makes  it  to  be  the  reason  why  he  grants  another 
grace-gift,  namely,  setting  on  high.  This  is  grace 
upon  grace.  Observe  that  if  we  climb  on  high,  the 
position  may  be  dangerous  ;  but  if  the  Lord  sets  us 
there,  it  is  safe.  He  may  raise  us  to  great  useful- 
ness, to  eminent  experience,  to  success  in  service, 
to  leadership  among  workers,  to  a  father's  place 
among  the  little  ones.  If  he  docs  not  do  this,  he 
may  set  us  on  high  by  near  fellowship,  clear 
insight,  holy  triumph,  and  gracious  anticipation 
of  eternal  glory.  When  God  sets  us  on  high,  Satan 
himself  cannot  pull  us  down.  Oh,  that  this  may  be 
our  case  all  through  this  day ! 


May  i6.  i)Faitf)'0  Cf)fque  Booft.  137 

^^Blessed  are  the  merciful :  for  they  shall  obtain  mercy P 
Matt.  V.  7. 

IT  is  not  meet  that  the  man  who  will  not  forgive 
should  be  forgiven,  nor  shall  he  who  will  not 
give  to  the  poor  have  his  own  wants  relieved.  God 
will  measure  to  us  with  our  own  bushels,  and  those 
who  have  been  hard  masters  and  hard  creditors, 
will  find  that  the  Lord  will  deal  hardly  with  them. 
"He  shall  have  judgment  without  mercy,  that  hath 
shewed  no  mercy." 

This  day  let  us  try  to  give  and  to  forgive.  Let 
us  mind  the  two  bears — bear  and  forbear.  Let 
us  be  kind,  and  gentle,  and  tender.  Let  us  not  put 
harsh  constructions  upon  men's  conduct,  nor  drive 
hard  bargains,  nor  pick  foolish  quarrels,  nor  be 
difficult  to  please.  Surely  we  wish  to  be  blessed, 
and  we  also  want  to  obtain  mercy :  let  us  be 
merciful,  that  we  may  have  mercy.  Let  us  fulfil 
the  condition,  that  we  may  earn  the  beatitude.  Is 
it  not  a  pleasant  duty  to  be  kind  ?  Is  there  not 
much  more  sweetness  in  it  than  in  being  angry  and 
ungenerous  ?  Why,  there  is  a  blessedness  in  the 
thing  itself!  Moreover,  the  obtaining  of  mercy  is 
a  rich  reward.  What  but  sovereign  grace  could 
suggest  such  a  promise  as  this?  We  are  merciful 
to  our  fellow-mortal  in  pence,  and  the  Lord  for- 
jrives  us  "  all  that  debt." 


138  iFattl^'0  (TO^eque  !Saafe.  may  17. 

"T^e  upright  shall  have  good  things  in  possession." 
Prov.  xxviii.  lo. 

THE  Book  of  Proverbs  is  also  a  Book  of 
Promises.  Promises  ought  to  be  proverbs 
among  the  people  of  God.  This  is  a  very  remark- 
able one.  We  are  accustomed  to  think  of  our  good 
things  as  in  reversion,  but  here  we  are  told  that  we 
shall  have  them  in  possession. 

Not  all  the  malice  and  cunning  of  our  enemies 
can  work  our  destruction  :  they  shall  fall  into  the 
pit  which  they  have  digged.  Our  inheritance  is  so 
entailed  upon  us  that  we  shall  not  be  kept  out  of 
it,  nor  so  turned  out  of  the  way  as  to  miss  it. 

But  what  have  we  now  ?  We  have  a  quiet  con- 
science through  the  precious  blood  of  Je^us.  We 
have  the  love  of  God  set  upon  us  beyond  all  change. 
We  have  power  with  God  in  prayer  in  all  time  of 
need.  We  have  the  providence  of  God  to  watch 
over  us,  the  angels  of  God  to  minister  to  us,  and, 
above  all,  the  Spirit  of  God  to  dwell  in  us.  In  fact,  all 
things  are  ours.  "  Whether  things  present  or  things 
to  come:  all  are  yours."  Jesus  is  ours.  Yea,  the 
divine  Trinity  in  Unity  is  ours.  Hallelujah.  Let 
us  not  pine  and  whine,  and  stint  and  slave,  since 
we  have  good  things  in  possession.  Let  us  live  on 
our  God  and  rejoice  in  him  all  the  day.  Help  us, 
O  Holy  Ghost! 


May  i8.  iFai'tl)'0  CTjcque  Book.  139 

^^And  I  will  restore  to  you  the  years  that  the  locust  hath 
eateny — ^joel  ii.  25. 

YES,  those  wasted  years  over  which  we  sigh 
shall  be  restored  to  us.  God  can  give  us 
such  plentiful  grace  that  we  shall  crowd  into 
the  remainder  of  our  days  as  much  of  service  as 
will  be  some  recompense  for  those  years  of  unre- 
gcneracy  over  which  we  mourn  in  humble  penitence. 
The  locusts  of  backsliding,  worldliness,  luke- 
warmness,  are  now  viewed  by  us  as  a  terrible  plague. 
Oh  that  they  had  never  come  near  us  !  The  Lord 
in  mercy  has  now  taken  them  away,  and  we  are  full 
of  zeal  to  serve  him.  Blessed  be  his  name,  we  can 
raise  such  harvests  of  spiritual  graces  as  shall  make 
our  former  barrenness  to  disappear.  Through  rich 
grace  we  can  turn  to  account  our  bitter  experience, 
and  use  it  to  warn  others.  We  can  become  the 
more  rooted  in  humility,  childlike  dependence, 
and  penitent  spirituality,  by  reason  of  our  former 
shortcomings.  If  we  are  the  more  watchful, 
zealous,  and  tender,  we  shall  gain  by  our  lament- 
able losses.  The  wasted  years,  by  a  miracle  of  love, 
can  be  restored.  Does  it  seem  too  great  a  boon  ? 
Let  us  believe  for  it,  and  live  for  it,  and  we  may 
yet  realize  it,  even  as  Peter  became  all  the  more 
useful  a  man  after  his  presumption  was  cured  by  his 
discovered  weakness.     Lord,  aid  us  by  thy  grace. 


I40  JFaitf)'0  Cljcque  Book.  May  19. 

^^ Therefore  thus  saith  the  Lord,  If  thou  return,  then 
will  I  bring  thee  again,  and  thou  shall  statid  before  me : 
and  if  thou  take  forth  the  precious  from  the  vile,  thou  shall 
be  as  my  mouth" — jer.  xv.  19. 

POOR  Jeremiah !  Yet  why  do  we  say  so  ? 
The  weeping  prophet  was  one  of  the  choicest 
servants  of  God,  and  honoured  by  him  above  many. 
He  was  hated  for  speaking  the  truth.  The  word 
which  was  so  sweet  to  him  was  bitter  to  his  hearers, 
yet  he  was  accepted  of  his  Lord.  He  was  com- 
manded to  abide  in  his  faithfulness,  and  then  the 
Lord  would  continue  to  speak  through  him.  He 
was  to  deal  boldly  and  truthfully  with  men,  and 
perform  the  Lord's  winnowing  work  upon  the  pro- 
fessors of  his  day,  and  then  the  Lord  gave  him  this 
word,  "  Thou  shalt  be  as  my  mouth." 

What  an  honour!  Should  not  every  preacher, 
yea,  every  believer,  covet  it  ?  For  God  to  speak  by 
us,  what  a  marvel !  We  shall  speak  sure,  pure 
truth ;  and  we  shall  speak  it  with  power.  Our 
word  shall  not  return  void  ;  it  shall  be  a  blessing 
to  those  who  receive  it,  and  those  who  refuse  it 
shall  do  so  at  their  peril.  Our  lips  shall  feed 
many.  We  shall  arouse  the  sleeping  and  call 
the  dead  to  life. 

O  dear  reader,  pray  that  it  may  be  so  with  the 
writer,  and  w^ith  all  the  sent  servants  of  our  Lord. 


May  20.  iFnitb's  Cfjrquc  Booh.  141 

"/  7viU  ^0  before  thee,  and  make  the  crooked  places 
straight :  I  will  break  in  pieces  the  gates  of  brass,  and  ait 
in  sunder  the  bars  of  iron" — isa.  xlv.  2. 

THIS  was  for  Cyrus  ;  but  it  is  evermore  the 
heritage  of  all  the  Lord's  own  spiritual 
servants.  Only  let  us  go  forward  by  faith,  and 
our  way  will  be  cleared  for  us.  Crooks  and  turns 
of  human  craft  and  Satanic  subtlety  shall  be 
straightened  for  us  ;  we  shall  not  need  to  track 
their  devious  windings.  The  gates  of  brass  shall 
be  broken,  and  the  iron  bars  which  fastened  them 
shall  be  cut  asunder.  We  shall  not  need  the 
battering  ram  nor  the  crow-bar :  the  Lord  himself 
will  do  the  impossible  for  us,  and  the  unexpected 
shall  be  a  fact. 

Let  us  not  sit  down  in  coward  fear.  Let  us  press 
onward  in  the  path  of  duty ;  for  the  Lord  hath 
said  it,  "  I  will  go  before  thee."  Ours  not  to  reason 
why;  ours  but  to  dare  and  dash  forward.  It  is  the 
Lord's  work,  and  he  will  enable  us  to  do  it :  all 
impediments  must  yield  before  him.  Hath  he  not 
said,  "  I  will  break  in  pieces  the  gates  of  brass  ?  " 
What  can  hinder  his  purpose  or  balk  his  decrees,-* 
Those  who  serve  God  have  infinite  resources.  The 
way  is  clear  to  faith  though  barred  to  human 
strength.  When  Jehovah  says,  "  I  will,"  as  he  does 
twice  in  this  promise,  we  dare  not  doubt. 


14*  iFaitfi'iS  €\)tqm  Book.  May  21. 

'^/f  the  clouds  be  full  of  rain,  they  empty  the  tine  Ives 
upon  the  earth." — Eccl.  xi.  3. 

WHY,  then,  do  we  dread  the  clouds  which  now 
darken  our  sky  ?  True,  for  a  while  they 
hide  the  sun,  but  the  sun  is  not  quenched  ;  he  will 
shine  out  again  before  long.  Meanwhile  those 
black  clouds  are  filled  with  rain;  and  the  blacker 
they  are,  the  more  likely  they  are  to  yield  plentiful 
showers.     How  can  we  have  rain  without  clouds  ? 

Our  troubles  have  always  brought  us  blessings, 
and  they  always  will.  They  are  the  dark  chariots 
of  bright  grace.  These  clouds  will  empty  them- 
selves before  long,  and  every  tender  herb  will  be 
the  gladder  for  the  shower.  Our  God  may  drench 
us  with  grief,  but  he  will  not  drown  us  with  wrath ; 
nay,  he  will  refresh  us  with  mercy.  Our  Lord's 
love-letters  often  come  to  us  in  black-edged  en- 
velopes. His  wagons  rumble,  but  they  are  loaded 
with  benefits.  His  rod  blossoms  with  sweet  flowers 
and  nourishing  fruits.  Let  us  not  worry  about  the 
clouds,  but  sing  because  May  flowers  are  brought 
to  us  through  the  April  clouds  and  showers. 

O  Lord,  the  clouds  are  the  dust  of  thy  feet!  How 
near  thou  art  in  the  cloudy  and  dark  day !  Love 
beholds  thee,  and  is  glad.  Faith  sees  the  clouds 
emptying  themselves  and  making  the  little  hills 
rejoice  on  every  side. 


May  22.  Jaftlj's  Cfjcqne  Booft.  143 

^'T/ious^h   I  walk  in   the   midst  of  trouble,   thou  wilt 
revive  tiie:  thou  shalt  stretch  forth  thine  hand  against  the 
wrath  of  mine  enemies,  and  thy  right  hand  shall  save  me:'' 
Ps.  cxxxviii.  7. 

WRETCHED  walking  in  the  midst  of  trouble 
Nay,  blessed  walking,  since  there  is  a 
special  promise  for  it.  Give  me  a  promise,  and 
what  is  the  trouble  ?  What  doth  my  Lord  teach 
me  here  to  say  ?  Why  this — "  Thou  wilt  revive 
me."  I  shall  have  more  life,  more  energy,  more 
faith.  Is  it  not  often  so,  that  trouble  revives  us, 
like  a  breath  of  cold  air  when  one  is  ready  to  faint? 

How  angry  are  my  enemies  and  especially  the 
arch-enemy !  Shall  I  stretch  forth  my  hand  and 
fight  my  foes }  No,  my  hand  is  better  employed 
in  doing  service  for  my  Lord.  Besides,  there  is  no 
need,  for  my  God  will  use  his  far-reaching  arm, 
and  he  will  deal  with  them  far  better  than  I  could 
if  I  were  to  try.  "Vengeance  is  mine;  I  will 
repay,  saith  the  Lord."  He  will  with  his  own 
right  hand  of  power  and  wisdom  save  me,  and 
what  more  can  I  desire .-' 

Come,  my  heart,  talk  this  promise  over  to  thyself 
till  thou  canst  use  it  as  the  song  of  thy  confidence, 
the  solace  of  thy  loneliness.  Pray  to  be  revived 
thyself,  and  leave  the  rest  with  the  Lord,  who  per- 
formeth  all  things  for  thee. 


144  iFnillj's  Cfjeque  ISaoft.  May  23 

'^'■For  he  shall  deliver  the  needy  ivhen  he  crieih  ;  the  poor 
also,  and  hii?i  that  hath  710  helper."" — Ps.  ixxii.  12. 

THE  needy  cries  ;  what  else  can  he  do?  His 
cry  is  heard  of  God  ;  what  else  need  he  do  ? 
Let  the  needy  reader  take  to  crying  at  once,  for 
this  will  be  his  wisdom.  Do  not  cry  in  the  ears  of 
friends,  for  even  if  they  can  help  you  it  is  only 
because  the  Lord  enables  them.  The  nearest  way 
is  to  go  straight  to  God,  and  let  your  cry  come  up 
before  him.  Straight-forward  makes  the  best 
runner  :  run  to  the  Lord,  and  not  to  secondary 
causes. 

"Alas!"  you  cry,  "I  have  no  friend  or  helper." 
So  much  the  better  ;  you  can  rely  upon  God  in 
both  capacities — as  without  supplies  and  without 
helpers.  Make  your  double  need  your  double  plea. 
Even  for  temporal  mercies  you  may  wait  upon  God, 
for  he  careth  for  his  children  in  these  temporary 
concerns.  As  for  spiritual  necessities,  which  are 
the  heaviest  of  all,  the  Lord  will  hear  your  cry,  and 
will  deliver  you  and  supply  you. 

O  poor  friend,  try  your  rich  God.  O  helpless 
one,  lean  on  his  help.  He  has  never  failed  me,  and 
I  am  sure  he  will  never  fail  yoiu  Come  as  a  beggar, 
and  God  will  not  refuse  you  help.  Come  with  no 
plea  but  his  grace.  Jesus  is  King,  will  he  let  you 
perish  of  want  ?     What !     Did  you  forget  this  ? 


May  24-  JFnitlj's  Cf)fqu£  Booh.  145 

^'^One  fnan  of  you  shall  chase  a  thousand:  for  the  Lord 
your  God,  he  it  is  that  fighteth  for  yoii,  as  lie  hath  promised 
you.  — Joshua  xxiii.  lo. 

WHY  count  heads?  One  man  with  God  is  a 
majority  though  there  be  a  thousand  on  the 
other  side.  Sometimes  our  helpers  may  be  too 
many  for  God  to  work  with  them,  as  was  the  case 
with  Gideon,  who  could  do  nothing  till  he  had  in- 
creased his  forces  by  thinning  out  their  numbers. 
But  the  Lord's  host  are  never  too  few.  When  God 
would  found  a  nation,  he  called  Abram  alone 
and  blessed  him.  When  he  would  vanquish  proud 
Pharaoh,  he  used  no  armies,  but  only  Moses  and 
Aaron.  The  "  one  man  ministry,"  as  certain  wise 
men  call  it,  has  been  far  more  used  of  the  Lord 
than  trained  bands  with  their  officers.  Did  all  the 
Israelites  together  slay  so  many  as  Samson  alone  ? 
Saul  and  his  hosts  slew  their  thousands,  but  David 
his  ten  thousands. 

The  Lord  can  give  the  enemy  long  odds  and  yet 
vanquish  him.  If  we  have  faith,  we  have  God 
with  us,  and  what  are  multitudes  of  men  ?  One 
shepherd's  dog  can  drive  before  him  a  great  flock 
of  sheep.  If  the  Lord  sent  thee,  O  my  brother, 
his  strength  will  accomplish  his  divine  purpose. 
Wherefore,  rely  on  the  promise,  and  be  very 
courageous. 

10 


146  Jaitfj's  CTfjcque  Booft.  May  25. 

'■''The  Lord  shall  open  unto  thee  his  good  treasure." 
Deut.  xxviii.  12. 

THIS  refers  first  to  the  rain.  The  Lord  will 
give  this  in  its  season.  Rain  is  the  emblem 
of  all  those  celestial  refreshings  which  the  Lord  is 
ready  to  bestow  upon  his  people.  Oh  for  a  copious 
shower  to  refresh  the  Lord's  heritage  ! 

We  seem  to  think  that  God's  treasury  can  only 
be  opened  by  a  great  prophet  like  Elijah,  but  it  is 
not  so,  for  this  promise  is  to  all  the  faithful  in 
Israel,  and,  indeed,  to  each  one  of  them.  O 
believing  friend,  "  the  Lord  shall  open  unto  thee 
his  good  treasure."  Thou,  too,  mayest  see  heaven 
opened,  and  thrust  in  thy  hand  and  take  out  thy 
portion,  yea,  and  a  portion  for  all  thy  brethren 
round  about  thee.  Ask  what  thou  wilt,  and  thou 
shalt  not  be  denied,  if  thou  abidest  in  Christ,  and 
his  words  abide  in  thee. 

As  yet  thou  hast  not  known  all  thy  Lord's  trea- 
sures, but  he  shall  open  them  up  to  thine  under- 
standing. Certainly  thou  hast  not  yet  enjoyed  the 
fulness  of  his  covenant  riches,  but  he  will  direct 
thine  heart  into  his  love,  and  reveal  Jesus  in  thee. 
Only  the  Lord  himself  can  do  this  for  thee ;  but 
here  is  his  promise,  and  if  thou  wilt  hearken 
diligently  unto  his  voice,  and  obey  his  will,  his 
riches  in  glory  by  Christ  Jesus  shall  be  thine. 


May  26.  jfni'tlj's  CTljcquc  33ook.  147 

"  Ve  shall  serve  the  Lord  your  God,  and  he  shall  bless 
thy  bread,  and  thy  tvater." — Ex.  xxiii.  25. 

WHAT  a  promise  is  this  !  To  serve  God  is  in 
itself  a  high  deHght.  But  what  an  added 
privilege  to  have  the  blessing  of  the  Lord  resting 
upon  us  in  all  things !  Our  commonest  things 
become  blessed  when  we  ourselves  are  consecrated 
to  the  Lord.  Our  Lord  Jesus  took  bread  and 
blessed  it;  behold,  we  also  eat  of  blessed  bread. 
Jesus  blessed  water  and  made  it  wine :  the  water 
which  we  drink  is  far  better  to  us  than  any  of  the 
wine  with  which  men  make  merry ;  every  drop  has 
a  benediction  in  it.  The  divine  blessing  is  on  the 
man  of  God  in  everything,  and  it  shall  abide  with 
him  at  every  time. 

What  if  we  have  only  bread  and  water !  Yet  it 
is  blessed  bread  and  water.  Bread  and  water  we 
shall  have.  That  is  implied,  for  it  must  be  there 
for  God  to  bless  it.  "  Thy  bread  shall  be  given 
thee,  and  thy  waters  shall  be  sure."  With  God  at 
our  table,  we  not  only  ask  a  blessing,  but  we  have 
one.  It  is  not  only  at  the  altar  but  at  the  table 
that  he  blesses  us.  He  serves  those  well  who  serve 
him  well.  This  table-blessing  is  not  of  debt,  but 
of  grace.  Indeed,  there  is  a  treble  grace  ;  he  grants 
us  grace  to  serve  him,  by  his  grace  feeds  us  with 
bread,  and  then  in  his  grace  blesses  it. 


148  Jaitlj's  (Eljcque  Book.  May  27. 

'•'■For  if  these  things  be  in  you,  and  abound,  they  make 
you  that  ye  shall  iieither  be  barren  nor  unfruitful  in  the 
knowledge  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." — 2  Pet.  i.  8. 

IF  we  desire  to  glorify  our  Lord  by  fruitfulness 
we  must  have  certain  things  within  us  ;  for 
nothing  can  come  out  of  us  which  is  not  first  of  all 
within  us.  We  must  begin  with  faith,  which  is 
the  groundwork  of  all  the  virtues  ;  and  then  dili- 
gently add  to  it  virtue,  knowledge,  temperance, 
and  patience.  With  these  we  must  have  godliness 
and  brotherly  love.  All  these  put  together  will 
most  assuredly  cause  us  to  produce,  as  our  life 
fruit,  the  clusters  of  usefulness,  and  we  shall  not 
be  mere  idle  knowers,  but  real  doers  of  the  word. 
These  holy  things  must  not  only  be  in  us,  but 
abound,  or  we  shall  be  barren.  Fruit  is  the  overflow 
of  life,  and  we  must  be  full  before  we  can  flow  over. 
We  have  noticed  men  of  considerable  parts  and 
opportunities  who  have  never  succeeded  in  doing 
real  good  in  the  conversion  of  souls ;  and  after 
close  observation  we  have  concluded  that  they 
lacked  certain  graces  which  are  absolutely  essential 
to  fruit-bearing.  For  real  usefulness  graces  are 
better  than  gifts.  As  the  man  is,  so  is  his  work. 
If  we  would  do  better  we  must  be  better.  Let"  the 
text  be  a  gentle  hint  to  unfruitful  professors,  and 
to  mjself  also. 


May  28.  Jni'tj^'s  (B\)tqm  Baoft.  149 

^'Afid  thou  saidsf,  I  will  surely  do  thee  good'' — Gen.  xxxii.  12. 

THIS  is  the  sure  way  of  prevailing  with  the 
Lord  in  prayer.  We  may  humbly  remind 
him  of  what  he  has  said.  Our  faithful  God  will 
never  run  back  from  his  word,  nor  will  he  leave  it 
unfulfilled  ;  yet  he  loves  to  be  enquired  of  by  his 
people,  and  put  in  mind  of  his  promise.  This  is 
refreshing  to  their  memories,  reviving  to  their  faith, 
and  renewing  to  their  hope.  God's  word  is  given, 
not  for  his  sake,  but  for  ours.  His  purposes  are 
settled,  and  he  needs  nothing  to  bind  him  to 
his  design  of  doing  his  people  good  ;  but  he  gives 
the  promise  for  our  strengthening  and  comfort. 
Hence  he  wishes  us  to  plead  it,  and  say  to  him, 
"Thou  saidst." 

"  I  will  surely  do  thee  good  "  is  just  the  essence 
of  all  the  Lord's  gracious  sayings.  Lay  a  special 
stress  on  the  word  "  surely."  He  will  do  us  good, 
real  good,  lasting  good,  only  good,  every  good. 
He  will  make  us  good,  and  this  is  to  do  us 
good  in  the  very  highest  degree.  He  will  treat 
us  as  he  does  his  saints  while  we  are  here,  and 
that  is  good.  He  will  soon  take  us  to  be  with 
Jesus  and  all  his  chosen,  and  that  is  supremely 
good.  With  this  promise  in  our  hearts  we  need 
not  fear  angry  Esau,  nor  anyone  else.  If  the 
Lord  will  do  us  good,  who  can  do  us  hurt  ? 


150  iFattl[)'0  O^cquE  Book.  May  29. 

^^And  Jesus  said  unto  t/iem,  Come  ye  offer  me,  and  J 
ivill  fuake  you  to  become  fishers  of  men.'''' — Mark  i.  17- 

ONLY  by  coming  after  Jesus  can  we  obtain  our 
heart's  desire,  and  be  really  useful  to  our 
fellow  men.  Oh,  how  we  long  to  be  successful 
fishers  for  Jesus  !  We  would  sacrifice  our  lives  to 
win  souls.  But  we  are  tempted  to  try  methods 
which  Jesus  would  never  have  tried.  Shall  we 
yield  to  this  suggestion  of  the  enemy  ?  If  so,  we 
may  splash  the  water,  but  we  shall  never  take  the 
fish.  We  must  follow  after  Jesus  if  we  would 
succeed.  Sensational  methods,  entertainments,  and 
so  forth — are  these  coming  after  Jesus?  Can  we 
imagine  the  Lord  Jesus  drawing  a  congregation  by 
such  means  as  are  now  commonly  used  ?  What  is 
the  result  of  such  expedients  ?  The  result  is  nothing 
which  Jesus  will  count  up  at  the  last  great  day. 

We  must  keep  to  our  preaching  as  our  Master 
did,  for  by  this  means  souls  are  saved.  We  must 
preach  our  Lord's  doctrine,  and  proclaim  a  full  and 
free  gospel  ;  for  this  is  the  net  in  which  souls  are 
taken.  We  must  preach  with  his  gentleness,  bold- 
ness, and  love ;  for  this  is  the  secret  of  success  with 
human  hearts.  We  must  work  under  divine  anoint- 
ing, depending  upon  the  sacred  Spirit.  Thus, 
coming  after  Jesus,  and  not  running  before  him, 
nor  aside  from  him,  we  shall  be  fishers  of  men. 


MAY30.  JFaitij's  CljcquE  Baofu  151 

"  Neve  rf  lie  less  I  say  unto  you,  Hereafter  shall  ye  see  tht 
Son  of  man  sittini^  on  Hie  right  hand  of  power,  and  coming 
in  the  clouds  of  heaven.^' — Matt.  xxvi.  64. 

AH,  Lord,  thou  wast  in  thy  lowest  state  when 
before  thy  persecutors  thou  wast  made  to 
stand  Hke  a  criminal !  Yet  the  eyes  of  thy  faith 
could  see  beyond  thy  present  humiliation  into  thy 
future  glory.  What  words  are  these,  "  Nevertheless 
— hereafter  "  !  I  would  imitate  thy  holy  foresight, 
and  in  the  midst  of  poverty,  or  sickness,  or  slander, 
I  also  would  say,  "  Nevertheless — hereafter."  In- 
stead of  weakness,  thou  hast  all  power  ;  instead  of 
shame,  all  glory  ;  instead  of  derision,  all  worship. 
Thy  cross  has  not  dimmed  the  splendour  of  thy 
crown,  neither  has  the  spittle  marred  the  beauty  of 
thy  face.  Say,  rather,  thou  art  the  more  exalted 
and  honoured  because  of  thy  sufferings. 

So,  Lord,  I  also  would  take  courage  from  the 
"  hereafter."  I  would  forget  the  present  tribula- 
tion in  the  future  triumph.  Help  thou  me  by 
directing  me  into  thy  Father's  love  and  into  thine 
own  patience,  so  that  when  I  am  derided  for  thy 
name  I  may  not  be  staggered,  but  think  more  and 
more  of  the  hereafter,  and,  therefore,  all  the  less  of 
to-day.  I  shall  be  with  thee  soon  and  behold  thy 
glory.  Wherefore,  I  am  not  ashamed,  but  say  in 
my  inmost  soul,  "  Nevertheless — hereafter." 


152  jFattlj'g  Cfjeque  BaoJt.  May  31. 

"/«  the  world  ye  shall  have  tribulation :  but  be  of  good 
cheer ;  I  have  overcome  the  worlds — ^john  xvi.  33. 

MY  Lord's  words  are  true  as  to  the  tribulation. 
I  have  my  share  of  it  beyond  all  doubt. 
The  flail  is  not  hung  up  out  of  the  way,  nor  can  I 
hope  that  it  will  be  laid  aside  so  long  as  I  lie 
upon  the  threshing-floor.  How  can  I  look  to  be 
at  home  in  the  enemy's  country,  joyful  while  in 
exile,  or  comfortable  in  a  wilderness?  This  is  not 
my  rest.  This  is  the  place  of  the  furnace,  and  the 
forge,  and  the  hammer.  My  experience  tallies  with 
my  Lord's  words. 

I  note  how  he  bids  me  "  be  of  good  cheer." 
Alas  !  I  am  far  too  apt  to  be  downcast.  My  spirit 
soon  sinks  when  I  am  sorely  tried.  But  I  must  not 
give  way  to  this  feeling.  When  my  Lord  bids  me 
cheer  up  I  must  not  dare  to  be  cast  down. 

What  is  the  argument  which  he  uses  to  encourage 
me  ?  Why,  it  is  his  own  victory.  He  says,  "  I  have 
overcome  the  world."  His  battle  was  much  more 
severe  than  mine.  I  have  not  yet  resisted  unto 
blood.  Why  do  I  despair  of  overcoming?  See, 
my  soul,  the  enemy  has  been  once  overcome.  I 
fight  with  a  beaten  foe.  O  world,  Jesus  has  already 
vanquished  thee  ;  and  in  me,  by  his  grace,  he  will 
overcome  thee  again.  Therefore  am  I  of  good  cheer, 
and  sing  unto  my  conquering  Lord. 


June  I.  Jfaflfj'g  Cljcqiic  !3ooIt.  153 

^'Cast  thy  bread  upon  the  wafers :  for  thou  shaitjitid  it 
after  many  days." — Eccl.  xi.  i. 

WE  must  not  expect  to  see  an  immediate 
reward  for  all  the  good  we  do  ;  nor  must 
\vc  always  confine  our  efforts  to  places  and  persons 
which  seem  likely  to  yield  us  a  recompense  for  our 
labours.  The  Egyptian  casts  his  seed  upon  the 
waters  of  the  Nile,  where  it  might  seem  a  sheer 
waste  of  corn.  But  in  due  time  the  flood  subsides, 
the  rice  or  other  grain  sinks  into  the  fertile  mud, 
and  rapidly  a  harvest  is  produced.  Let  us  to-day 
do  good  to  the  unthankful  and  the  evil.  Let  us 
teach  the  careless  and  the  obstinate.  Unlikely 
waters  may  cover  hopeful  soil.  Nowhere  shall 
our  labour  be  in  vain  in  the  Lord. 

It  is  ours  to  cast  our  bread  upon  the  waters  ;  it 
remains  with  God  to  fulfil  the  promise,  "Thou  shalt 
find  it,"  He  will  not  let  his  promise  fail.  His 
good  word  which  we  have  spoken  shall  live,  shall 
be  found,  shall  be  found  by  us.  Perhaps  not  just 
yet,  but  some  day  we  shall  reap  what  we  have 
sown.  We  must  exercise  our  patience  ;  for  per- 
haps the  Lord  may  exercise  it.  "After  many  days," 
says  the  Scripture,  and  in  many  instances  those 
days  run  into  months  and  years,  and  yet  the  word 
stands  true.  God's  promise  will  keep;  let  us  mind 
that  we  keep  the  precept,  and  keep  it  this  day. 


154  i?ai'tlj*s  ^Ijtqut  IjocTt.  Junk  2. 

"J^or  now  will  I  break  his  yoke  frjm  of  thee,  and  tdll 
hirst  thy  bj7ids  in  sunder ^ — Nabum  i.  13. 

THE  Assyrian  was  allowed  for  a  season  to 
oppress  the  Lord's  people,  but  there  came  a 
time  for  his  power  to  be  broken.  So,  many  a  heart 
is  held  in  bondage  by  Satan,  and  frets  sorely  under 
the  yoke.  Oh,  that  to  such  prisoners  of  hope  the 
word  of  the  Lord  may  come  at  once,  according  to 
the  text, — "Now  will  I  break  his  yoke  from  off 
thee,  and  will  burst  thy  bonds  in  sunder '" ! 

See !  the  Lord  promises  a  present  deliverance  : 
"  Now  will  I  break  his  yoke  from  off  thee.""  Believe 
for  immediate  freedom,  and  according  to  thy  faith 
so  shall  it  be  unto  thee  at  this  very  hour.  When 
God  saith  *'  now,"  let  no  man  say  "  to-morrow." 

See  how  complete  the  rescue  is  to  be ;  for  the 
yoke  is  not  to  be  removed,  but  broken  ;  and  the 
bonds  are  not  to  be  untied,  but  burst  asunder. 
Here  is  a  display  of  divine  force  which  guarantees 
that  the  oppressor  shall  not  return.  His  yoke 
is  broken,  we  cannot  again  be  bowed  dov/n  by 
its  weight.  His  bonds  are  burst  asunder,  they 
can  no  longer  hold  us.  Oh,  to  believe  in  Jesus  for 
complete  and  everlasting  emancipation  !  "If  the 
Son  shall  make  you  free,  ye  shall  be  free  indeed." 
Come,  Lord,  and  set  free  thy  captives,  according 
to  thy  word. 


June  3.  jFaitlj'3  Cljcqiic  Boolt.  155 

^'' The  Lord  God  is  my  strength,  and  he  wUl  make  my 
feet  like  hinds'  feet,  and  he  xvillmake  me  to  walk  iipjn  mine 
high  places." — I  lab.  iii.  19. 

THIS  confidence  of  the  man  of  God  is  tanta- 
mount to  a  promise  ;  for  that  which  faith  is 
persuaded  of  is  the  purpo.se  of  God.  The  prophet 
had  to  traverse  the  deep  places  of  povcrt}'  and 
famine,  but  he  went  down  hill  without  slipping,  for 
the  Lord  gave  him  s/a/uiing:  By-and-by  he  was 
called  to  the  high  places  of  the  hills  of  conflict ; 
and  he  was  no  more  afraid  to  go  up  than  to  go  down. 

See !  the  Lord  lent  him  straigth.  Nay,  Jehovah 
himself  was  his  strength.  Think  of  that :  the 
Almighty  God  himself  becomes  our  strength  ! 

Note,  that  the  Lord  also  gave  him  surc-jootedncss. 
The  hinds  leap  over  rock  and  crag,  never  missing 
their  foothold.  Our  Lord  will  give  us  grace  to 
follow  the  most  difficult  paths  of  duty  without  a 
stumble.  He  can  fit  our  foot  for  the  crags,  so  that 
we  shall  be  at  home  where  apart  from  God  we 
should  perish. 

One  of  these  days  we  shall  be  called  to  higlier 
places  still.  Up  yonder  wc  shall  climb,  even  to  the 
mount  of  God,  the  high  places  where  the  shining 
ones  are  gathered.  Oh,  what  feet  are  the  feet  of 
faith,  by  which,  following  the  Hind  of  the  Morning, 
we  shall  ascend  into  the  hill  of  the  Lord  I 


156  Jaitlj's  CljrquE  Boolt.  June  4. 

'^T/iey  shall  be  mine,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  in  that 
day  when  I  make  2ip  my  jewels." — Mai.  iii.  17. 

A  DAY  is  coming  in  which  the  crown  jewels  of 
our  great  King  shall  be  counted,  that  it 
may  be  seen  whether  they  answer  to  the  inventory 
which  his  Father  gave  him.  My  soul,  wilt  thou  be 
among  the  precious  things  of  Jesus  ?  Thou  art 
precious  to  him  if  he  is  precious  to  thee,  and  thou 
shalt  be  his  "in  that  day,"  if  he  is  thine  in  this  day. 

In  the  days  of  Malachi,  the  chosen  of  the  Lord 
were  accustomed  so  to  converse  with  each  other 
that  their  God  himself  listened  to  their  talk.  He 
liked  it  so  well  that  he  took  notes  of  it ;  yes,  and 
made  a  book  of  it,  which  he  lodged  in  his  Record 
Office.  Pleased  with  their  conversation,  he  was  also 
pleased  with  them.  Pause,  my  soul,  and  ask  thy- 
self: If  Jesus  were  to  listen  to  thy  talk  would  he  be 
pleased  with  it?  Is  it  to  his  glory  and  to  the 
edification  of  the  brotherhood  }  Say,  my  soul,  and 
be  sure  thou  sayest  the  truth. 

But  what  will  the  honour  be  for  us  poor  creatures 
to  be  reckoned  by  the  Lord  to  be  his  crown 
jewels !  This  honour  have  all  the  saints.  Jesus 
not  only  says,  "  They  are  mine,"  but,  "  They  shall 
be  mine."  He  bought  us,  sought  us,  brought  us  in, 
and  has  so  far  wrought  us  to  his  image,  that  we 
shall  be  fought  for  by  him  with  all  his  might. 


Junes-  iFaitb's  Cljvquc  13oo?L  157 


^'But  against  any  of  the  children  of  Israel  shall  not  a 
dog  more  his  tongue,  against  man  or  beast :  ihat  ye  may 
kno7V  hozv  that  the  Lord  doth  put  a  dijtrence  belujccn  the 
Egyptians  and  Israel:'' — Ex.  xi.  7. 


WHAT  !  has  God  power  over  the  tongues  of 
dogs  ?  Can  he  keep  curs  from  barking  ? 
Yes,  it  is  even  so.  He  can  even  prevent  an 
Eg3-ptian  dog  from  worrying  one  of  the  lambs  of 
Israel's  flock.  Doth  God  silence  dogs,  and  doggish 
ones  among  men,  and  the  great  dog  at  hell's  gate  ? 
Then  let  us  move  on  our  way  without  fear. 

If  he  lets  dogs  move  their  tongues,  yet  he  can 
stop  their  teeth.  They  may  make  a  dreadful  noise, 
and  still  do  us  no  real  harm.  Yet,  how  sweet  is 
quiet !  How  delightful  to  move  about  among 
enemies,  and  perceive  that  God  maketh  them  to  be 
at  peace  with  us !  Like  Daniel  in  the  den  of  lions, 
we  are  unhurt  amid  destroyers. 

Oh,  that  to-day,  this  word  of  the  Lord  to  Israel 
might  be  true  to  me !  Does  the  dog  worry  me  ?  I 
will  tell  my  Lord  about  him.  Lord,  he  does  not 
care  for  my  pleadings  ;  do  thou  speak  the  word  of 
power,  and  he  must  lie  down.  Give  n  peace,  O 
my  God,  and  let  me  see  thy  hand  so  distinctly 
in  it  that  I  may  most  clearly  perceive  the  difterence 
which  thy  grace  has  made  between  me  and  the 
ungodly  1 


158  JFaitlj's  Cfjrque  Book.  June  6. 

*'' The  Lord  hath  heard  my  suppUcaiicn  ;  the  Lord  will 

receive  my  prayer." — Ps.  vi.  9. 

THE  experience  here  recorded  is  mine.  I  can 
set  to  my  seal  that  God  is  true.  In  very- 
wonderful  ways  he  has  answered  the  prayers  of  his 
servant  many  and  many  a  time.  Yes,  and  he  is 
hearing  my  present  supplication,  and  he  is  not 
turning  away  his  ear  from  me.  Blessed  be  his 
holy  name  ! 

What  then  ?  Why,  for  certain  the  promise  which 
lies  sleeping  in  the  Psalmist's  believing  confidence 
is  also  mine.  Let  me  grasp  it  by  the  hand  of  faith  : 
"  The  Lord  will  receive  my  prayer."  He  will  accept 
it,  think  of  it,  and  grant  it  in  the  way  and  time 
which  his  loving  wisdom  judges  to  be  best.  I 
bring  my  poor  prayer  in  my  hand  to  the  great 
King,  and  he  gives  me  audjence,  and  graciously 
receives  my  petition.  My  enemies  will  not  listen 
to  me,  but  my  Lord  will.  They  ridicule  my  tearful 
prayers,  but  my  Lord  does  not  ;  he  receives  my 
prayer  into  his  ear  and  his  heart. 

What  a  reception  this  is  for  a  poor  sinner!  We 
receive  Jesus,  and  then  the  Lord  receives  us  and 
our  prayers  for  his  Son's  sake.  Blessed  be  that  dear 
name  which  franks  our  prayers  so  that  they  freely 
pass  even  within  the  golden  gates.  Lord,  teach 
me  to  pray,  since  thou  hearest  my  prayers. 


j.)Nt  7.  jTai'lb's  Cljfquc  Bock.  157 

^^Aml  J  give  unlo  them  eternal  life  ;  and  they  shall  tici'er 
ferish,  neither  shall  any  man  pluck  them  out  of  my  luvuL'^ 
John  X.  28. 

WE  believe  in  the  eternal  security  of  the 
saints.  I'^irst,  because  they  are  Christ's, 
and  he  will  never  lose  the  sheep  which  he  has 
bought  with  his  blood,  and  received  of  his  Father. 

Next,  because  he  gives  them  eternal  life,  and  if 
it  be  eternal,  well  then,  it  is  eternal,  and  there  can 
be  no  end  to  it,  unless  there  can  be  an  end  to  hell, 
and  heaven,  and  God.  If  spiritual  life  can  die  out, 
it  is  manifestly  not  eternal  life,  but  temporary  life. 
But  the  Lord  speaks  of  eternal  life,  and  that 
effectually  shuts  out  the  possibility  of  an  end. 

Observe,  further,  that  the  Lord  expressly  says, 
"They  shall  never  perish."  As  long  as  words 
have  a  meaning,  this  secures  believers  from  perish- 
ing. The  most  obstinate  unbelief  cannot  force 
this  meaning  out  of  this  sentence. 

Then,  to  make  the  matter  complete,  he  declares 
that  his  people  are  in  his  hand,  and  he  defies  all 
their  enemies  to  pluck  them  out  of  it.  Surely  it  is 
a  thing  impossible  even  for  the  fiend  of  hell.  We 
must  be  safe  in  the  grasp  of  an  Almighty  Saviour, 

Be  it  ours  to  dismiss  carnal  fear  as  well  as  carnal 
confidence,  and  rest  peacefully  in  the  hollow  of  the 
Redeemer's  hand. 


i6o  Jaitlj's  CljeqiiE  Book.  June  & 

'■'■If  any  of  yoii  lack  wisdom,  let  him  ask  of  God,  that 
giveth  to  all  men  liberally,  and  upbraideth  ?tot ;  and  it 
shall  be  given  him." — James  i.  5. 

**  T  F  any  of  you  lack  wisdom."  There  is  no 
X  "if"  in  the  matter,  for  I  am  sure  I  lack  it. 
What  do  I  know  ?  How  can  I  guide  my  own  way  ? 
How  can  I  direct  others  ?  Lord,  I  am  a  mass  of 
folly,  and  wisdom  I  have  none. 

Thou  sayest,  "  Let  him  ask  of  God."  Lord,  I  now 
ask.  Here  at  thy  footstool  I  ask  to  be  furnished 
with  heavenly  wisdom  for  this  day's  perplexities, 
ay,  and  for  this  day's  simplicities;  for  I  know  I  may 
do  very  stupid  things,  even  in  plain  matters,  unless 
thou  dost  keep  me  out  of  mischief. 

I  thank  thee  that  all  I  have  to  do  is  to  ask. 
What  grace  is  this  on  thy  part,  that  I  have  only 
to  pray  in  faith,  and  thou  wilt  give  me  wisdom  ! 
Thou  dost  here  promise  me  a  liberal  education,  and 
that,  too,  without  an  angry  tutor,  or  a  scolding 
usher.  This,  too,  thou  wilt  bestow  without  a  fee — 
bestow  it  on  a  fool  who  lacks  wisdom.  O  Lord,  I 
thank  thee  for  that  positive  and  expressive  word, 
**  It  shall  be  given  him."  I  believe  it.  Thou  wilt 
this  day  make  thy  babe  to  know  the  hidden  wisdom 
which  the  carnally  prudent  never  learn.  Thou  wilt 
guide  me  with  thy  counsel,  and  afterwards  receive 
me  to  glory. 


June  9.  jFaitlj's  Ojcqiie  Book.  i«'£ 

"/  will  also  leave  in  the  midst  of  thee  an  afflicted  and 
poor  people^  and  they  shall  trust  in  the  name  of  the  Lord^ 

Zcph.  iii.  12 

WHEN  true  religion  is  ready  to  die  out  among 
the  wealthy  it  finds  a  home  among  the 
poor  of  this  world,  rich  in  faith.  The  Lord  has  even 
now  his  faithful  remnant.     Am  I  one  of  them  ? 

Perhaps  it  is  because  men  are  afflicted  and  poor 
that  they  learn  to  trust  in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 
He  that  hath  no  money  must  try  what  he  can  do 
on  trust.  He  whose  own  name  is  good  for  nothing 
in  his  own  esteem,  acts  wisely  to  rest  in  another 
name,  even  that  best  of  names,  the  name  of  Jehovah 
God  will  always  have  a  trusting  people,  and  these 
will  be  an  afflicted  and  poor  people.  Little  as  the 
world  thinks  of  them,  their  being  left  in  the  midst  of 
a  nation  is  the  channel  of  untold  blessings  to  it.  Here 
we  have  the  conserving  salt  which  keeps  in  check 
the  corruption  which  is  in  the  world  through  lust. 

Again  the  question  comes  home  to  each  one  of 
us,  Am  I  one  of  them?  Am  I  afflicted  by  the  sin 
within  me  and  around  me?  Am  I  poor  in  spirit, 
poor  spiritually  in  my  own  judgment  ?  Do  I  trust 
in  the  Lord?  That  is  the  main  business.  Jesus 
reveals  the  name,  the  character,  the  person  of  God  ; 
am  I  trusting  in  him  ?  If  so,  I  am  left  in  this  world 
for  a  purpose.     Lord  help  me  to  fulfil  it. 

iz 


'■^They  shall  feed  and  lie  down,  and  none  shall  make 
(hem  a/raid.'^ — Zeph.  iii.  13. 

YESTERDAY  we  thought  of  the  afflicted  and 
poor  people  whom  the  Lord  left  to  be  a 
living  seed  in  a  dead  world.  The  prophet  says  of 
such  that  they  shall  not  work  iniquity  nor  speak 
lies.  So  that  while  they  had  neither  rank  nor 
riches  to  guard  them,  they  were  also  quite  unable 
to  use  those  weapons  in  which  the  wicked  place  so 
much  reliance  :  they  could  neither  defend  them- 
selves by  sin  nor  by  subtlety. 

What  then  ?  Would  they  be  destroyed  ?  By  no 
means  ?  They  should  both  feed  and  rest,  and  be 
not  merely  free  from  danger,  but  even  quiet  from 
fear  of  evil.  Sheep  are  very  feeble  creatures,  and 
wolves  are  terrible  enemies ;  yet  at  this  hour 
sheep  are  more  numerous  than  wolves,  and  the 
cause  of  the  sheep  is  always  winning,  while  the 
cause  of  the  wolves  is  always  declining.  One  day 
flocks  of  sheep  will  cover  the  plains,  and  not  a 
wolf  will  be  left.  The  fact  is  that  sheep  have  a 
shepherd,  and  this  gives  them  provender,  protec- 
tion, and  peace.  "  None  " — which  means  not  one, 
whether  in  human  or  diabolical  form — "shall  make 
them  afraid."  Who  shall  terrify  the  Lord's  flock 
when  he  is  near?  We  lie  down  in  green  pastures, 
for  Jesus  himself  is  food  and  rest  to  our  souls. 


June  ii.  jFm'lIj's  (T-ljrquc  !3oo!{.  163 

^'■fear  not ;  for  thou  shali  not  he  as/iamed." — isa.  liv.  4. 

WE  shall  not  be  ashamed  of  owr faith.  Carp- 
ing critics  may  assail  the  Scriptures  upon 
U'hich  we  ground  our  belief,  but  every  year  the 
Lord  will  make  it  more  and  more  clear  that  in  his 
Book  there  is  no  error,  no  excess,  and  no  omission. 
It  is  no  discredit  to  be  a  simple  believer  ;  the  faith 
which  looks  alone  to  Jesus  is  a  crown  of  honour 
on  any  man's  head,  and  better  than  a  star  on  his 
breast. 

We  shall  not  be  ashamed  of  our  hope.  It  shall 
be  even  as  the  Lord  has  said.  We  shall  be  fed,  led, 
blest  and  rested.  Our  Lord  will  come,  and  then 
the  days  of  our  mourning  shall  be  ended.  How 
we  shall  glory  in  the  Lord  who  first  gave  us  lively 
hope,  and  then  gave  us  that  \vhich  we  hoped  for  I 

We  shall  not  be  ashamed  of  our  love.  Jesus  is 
to  us  the  altogether  lovely,  and  never,  never,  shall 
we  have  to  blush  because  we  have  yielded  our 
hearts  to  him.  The  sight  of  our  glorious  Well- 
beloved  will  justify  the  most  enthusiastic  attach- 
ment to  him.  None  will  blame  the  martyrs  for 
dying  for  him.  When  the  enemies  of  Christ  are 
clothed  with  everlasting  contempt,  the  lovers  of 
Jesus  shall  find  themselves  honoured  by  all  holy 
beings,  because  they  chose  the  reproach  of  Christ 
rat.her  than  the  treasures  of  Egypt. 


164  iFaitf)'0  €Ij£qiie  Book.  June  12. 

'■'Israel  then  shall  dwell  in  safety  alone:  the  foufitain 
of  facob  shall  be  upon  a  land  of  corn  and  wine ;  also  his 
heavens  shall  drop  doivn  dew." — Deut.  xxxiii.  28. 

THE  more  we  dwell  alone,  the  more  safe  shall 
we  be.  God  would  have  his  people  separate 
from  sinners.  His  call  to  them  is,  "  Come  ye  out 
from  among  them."  A  Christian  world  is  such  a 
monstrosity  as  the  Scriptures  never  contemplate. 
A  worldly  Christian  is  spiritually  diseased.  Those 
who  compromise  with  Christ's  enemies  may  be 
reckoned  with  them. 

Our  safety  lies,  not  in  making  terms  with  the 
enemy,  but  in  dwelling  alone  with  our  best  Friend. 
If  we  do  this,  we  shall  dwell  in  safety,  despite 
the  sarcasms,  the  slanders,  and  the  sneers  of  the 
world.  We  shall  be  safe  from  the  baleful  influence 
of  its  unbelief,  its  pride,  its  vanity,  its  filthiness. 

God  also  will  make  us  dwell  in  safety  alone  in 
that  day  when  sin  shall  be  visited  on  the  nations 
by  wars  and  famines. 

The  Lord  brought  Abram  from  Ur  of  the 
Chaldees,  but  he  stopped  half-way.  He  had  no 
blessing  till,  having  set  out  to  go  to  the  land  of 
Canaan,  to  the  land  of  Canaan  he  came.  He  was 
safe  alone  even  in  the  midst  of  foes.  Lot  was  not 
safe  in  Sodom  though  in  a  circle  of  friends. 
Our  s;ifety  is  in  dwelling  apart  with  God. 


JuNF.  13.  ifaitlj'ss  Cbcqite  Booh.  1C5 

^  I  the  Lord  do  J^ecp  it ;  I  it  ill  icater  it  every  motiient : 
lest  any  hurt  it,  I  will  k  ep  it  night  and  day." — isa.  xxvii.  3. 

WHEN  the  Lord  himself  speaks  in  his  own 
proper  person  rather  than  through  a 
prophet,  the  word  has  a  pecuh'ar  weight  to  beh'eving 
minds.  It  is  Jehovah  himself  who  is  the  keeper  of 
his  own  vineyard  ;  he  docs  not  trust  it  to  any  other, 
but  he  makes  it  his  own  personal  care.  Are  they 
not  well  kept  whom  God  himself  keeps  ? 

We  are  to  receive  gracious  watering,  not  only 
every  day  and  every  hour,  "  but  every  moment." 
How  we  ought  to  grow  !  How  fresh  and  fruitful 
every  plant  should  bel  What  rich  clusters  the 
vines  should  bear  ! 

But  disturbers  come  ;  little  foxes  and  the  boar. 
Therefore,  the  Lord  himself  is  our  guardian,  and 
that  at  all  hours,  both  "  night  and  day."  What, 
then,  can  harm  us  ?  Why  are  we  afraid  }  He  tends, 
he  waters,  he  guards  ;  what  more  do  we  need  ? 

Twice  in  this  verse  the  Lord  says,  "  I  will." 
What  truth,  what  power,  what  love,  what  immuta- 
bility we  find  in  the  great  "  I  will  "  of  Jehovah  ! 
Who  can  resist  his  will  ?  If  he  says  "  I  will,"  what 
room  is  there  for  doubt  .-•  With  an  "  I  will  "  of 
God  we  can  face  all  the  hosts  of  sin,  death,  and 
hell.  O  Lord,  since  thou  sayest,  "  I  will  keep 
thee,"  I  reply,  "  I  will  praise  thee  ! " 


iC6  dFaitVs  Cljque  Bjolt.  June  14. 

'■' For  the  Lord  7oill  not  forsake  his  people  for  his  great 
name's  sake ;  because  it  hath  phased  the  Lord  to  make  you 

his  people.'' — i  Sam.  xii.  22. 

GOD'S  choice  of  his  people  is  the  reason  for  his 
abiding  by  them,  and  not  forsaking  thcn^. 
He  chose  them  for  his  love,  and  he  loves  them  for 
his  choice.  His  own  good  pleasure  is  the  source  of 
their  election,  and  his  election  is  the  reason  for  the 
continuance  of  his  pleasure  in  them.  It  would  dis- 
honour his  great  name  for  him  to  forsake  them, 
since  it  would  either  show  that  he  made  an  error 
in  his  choice,  or  that  he  was  fickle  in  his  love. 
God's  love  has  this  glory,  that  it  never  changes, 
and  this  glory  he  will  never  tarnish. 

By  all  the  memories  of  the  Lord's  former  loving- 
kindnesses  let  us  rest  assured  that  he  will  not 
forsake  us.  He  who  has  gone  so  far  as  to  make  us 
his  people,  will  not  undo  the  creation  of  his  grace. 
He  has  not  nvrought  such  wonders  for  us  that 
he  might  leave  us  after  all.  His  Son  Jesus  has 
died  for  us,  and  we  may  be  sure  that  he  has  not 
died  in  vain.  Can  he  forsake  those  for  whom  he 
shed  his  blood?  Bjcause  he  has  hitherto  taken 
pleasure  in  choosing  and  in  saving  us,  it  will  be  his 
pleasure  still  to  bless  us.  Our  Lord  Jesus  is  no 
changeable  Lover.  Having  loved  his  own,  he  loves 
them  to  the  end. 


j'jN?:  15.  jTaitlj'a  Cljcqiic  Cjoh.  167 

"  The  Lord  shall  bless  thee  out  of  Zion ;  and  thou  shalt  see 
ike  good  of  Jerusalem  all  the  days  of  thy  life.''' — Ps.  cxxviii.  5. 

THIS  is  a  promise  to  the  God-fcarinc^  man  who 
walks  in  the  ways  of  hoHncss  with  earnest 
heed.  He  shall  have  domestic  blessedness  ;  his 
wife  and  children  shall  be  a  source  of  great  hom.e 
happiness.  But  then  as  a  member  of  the  church 
he  desires  to  see  the  cause  prosper,  for  he  is  as 
much  concerned  for  the  Lord's  house  as  for  his  own. 
When  the  Lord  builds  our  house,  it  is  but  fitting 
that  we  should  desire  to  see  the  Lord's  house 
builded.  Our  goods  are  not  truly  good  unless  we 
promote  by  them  the  good  of  the  Lord's  chosen 
church. 

Yes,  you  shall  get  a  blessing  when  you  go  up  to 
the  assemblies  of  Zion  ;  you  shall  be  instructed, 
enlivened,  and  comforted,  where  prayer  and  praise 
ascend,  and  testimony  is  borne  to  the  Great 
Sacrifice.    "The  Lord  shall  bless  thee  out  of  Zion." 

Nor  shall  you  alone  be  profited;  the  church  itself 
shall  prosper ;  believers  shall  be  multiplied,  and 
their  holy  work  shall  be  crowned  with  success. 
Certain  gracious  men  have  this  promise  fulfilled  to 
them  as  long  as  the}'  live.  Alas  I  when  they  die  the 
cause  often  flags.  Let  us  be  among  those  wlio 
bring  good  things  to  Jerusalem  all  their  da}'s. 
Lord,  of  thy  mercy  make  us  such  !     Amen. 


i68  5a{tl)'s  Cljcqiie  Boolt.  Jcve  i6. 

"ivr  whosoever  hath,  to  him  shall  be  given,  and  he  shall 
have  more  abundance." — Matt.  xiii.  12. 

WHEN  the  Lord  has  given  to  a  man  much 
grace  he  will  give  him  more.  A  little  faith 
is  a  nest  egg  ;  more  faith  will  come  to  it.  But  then 
it  must  not  be  seeming  faith,  but  real  and  true. 
What  a  necessity  is  laid  upon  us  to  make  sure 
work  in  religion,  and  not  to  profess  much,  and 
possess  nothing  !  for  one  of  these  days  the  very 
profession  will  be  taken  from  us,  if  that  be  all 
we  have.  The  threatening  is  as  true  as  the 
promise. 

Blessed  be  the  Lord,  it  is  his  way  when  he  has 
once  made  a  beginning  to  go  on  bestowing  the 
graces  of  his  Spirit,  till  he  who  had  but  little,  and 
yet  truly  had  that  little,  is  made  to  have  abundance. 
Oh,  for  that  abundance  !  Abundance  of  grace  is  a 
thing  to  be  coveted.  It  would  be  well  to  knotv 
much,  but  better  to  love  much.  It  would  be 
delightful  to  have  abundance  of  skill  to  serve  God, 
but  better  still  to  have  abundance  of  faith  to  trust 
in  the  Lord  for  skill  and  everything. 

Lord,  since  thou  hast  given  me  a  sense  of  sin, 
deepen  my  hatred  of  evil.  Since  thou  hast  caused 
me  to  trust  Jesus,  raise  my  faith  to  full  assurance. 
Since  thou  hast  made  me  to  love  thee,  cause  me  to 
be  carried  away  with  vehement  affection  for  thee  ! 


June  17.  j}^aitf)'0  CfjcquE  Boolt.  169 

'■'■For  the  Lord  your  God  is  he  that  goetli  with  you,  to 
fight  for  you  against  your  ejieniies,  to  save  you." — Deut.  xx.  4. 

WE  have  no  enemies  but  the  enemies  of  God. 
Our  fights  are  not  against  men,  but  against 
spiritual  wickednesses.  We  war  with  the  devil,  and 
the  blasphemy,  and  error,  and  despair,  which  he 
brings  into  the  field  of  battle.  We  fight  with  all 
the  armies  of  sin — impurity,  drunkenness,  oppres- 
sion, infidelity,  and  ungodliness.  With  these  we 
contend  earnestly,  but  not  with  sword  or  spear; 
the  weapons  of  our  warfare  are  not  carnal. 

Jehovah,  our  God,  abhors  everything  which  is 
evil,  and,  therefore,  he  goeth  with  us  to  fight  for  us 
in  this  crusade.  He  will  save  us,  and  he  will  give 
us  grace  to  war  a  good  warfare,  and  win  the  victory. 
We  may  depend  upon  it  that  if  we  are  on  God's 
side  God  is  on  our  side.  With  such  an  august  ally 
the  conflict  is  never  in  the  least  degree  doubtful.  It 
is  not  that  truth  is  mighty  and  must  prevail,  but 
that  might  lies  with  the  Father  who  is  Almighty, 
with  Jesus  who  has  all  power  in  heaven  and  in 
earth,  and  with  the  Holy  Spirit  who  worketh  his 
will  among  men. 

Soldiers  of  Christ,  gird  on  your  armour.  Strike 
home  in  the  name  of  the  God  of  holiness,  and  by 
faith  grasp  his  salvation.  Let  not  this  day  pass 
without  striking  a  blow  for  Jesus  and  holiness. 


I70  JFaitfj's  (!rf)eque  Book  Junk  i8, 

^'■Noiv  ivill  I  rise,  saith  the  Lord ;  now  7vill  I  be  exalted; 
now  will  I  lift  up  my  self T — Isa.  xxxiii.  lo. 

\T  7HEN  the  spoilers  had  made  the  land  as 
V  V  waste  as  if  devoured  by  locusts,  and  the 
warriors  who  had  defended  the  country  sat  down 
and  wept  like  women,  then  the  Lord  came  to  the 
rescue.  When  travellers  ceased  from  the  roads  to 
Zion,  and  Bashan  and  Carmel  were  as  vineyards 
from  which  the  fruit  has  failed,  then  the  Lord 
arose.  God  is  exalted  in  the  midst  of  an  afflicted 
people,  for  they  seek  his  face  and  trust  him.  He  is 
still  more  exalted  when  in  answer  to  their  cries  he 
lifts  up  himself  to  deliver  them  and  overthrow  their 
enemies. 

Is  it  a  day  of  sorrow  with  us?  Let  us  now  expect 
to  see  the  Lord  glorified  in  our  deliverance.  Are 
we  drawn  out  in  fervent  prayer  ?  Do  we  cry  day 
and  night  unto  him  ?  Then  the  set  time  for  his 
grace  is  near.  God  will  lift  up  himself  at  the  right 
season.  He  will  arise  when  it  will  be  most  for  the 
display  of  his  glory.  We  wish  for  his  glory  more 
than  we  long  for  our  own  deliverance.  Let  the 
Lord  be  exalted,  and  our  chief  desire  is  obtained. 

Lord,  help  us  in  such  a  way  that  we  may  see 
that  thou  thyself  art  working.  May  we  magnify 
thee  in  our  inmost  souls.  Make  all  around  us  to 
see  how  good  and  great  a  God  thou  art. 


June  19.  Jaitf)'0  €\)£t[m  Booft.  171 

"Z^/  my  heart  be  sound  in  thy  statutes :  that  I  be  not 
ashamed.'" — Ps.  cxix.  80. 

WE  may  regard  this  inspired  prayer  as  con- 
taining within  itself  the  assurance  that  those 
who  keep  close  to  the  Word  of  God  shall  never 
have  cause  to  be  ashamed  of  doing  so. 

See,  the  prayer  is  for  soundness  of  heart.  A 
sound  creed  is  good,  a  sound  judgment  concerning 
it  is  better,  but  a  sound  heart  towards  the  truth  is 
best  of  all.  We  must  love  the  truth,  feel  the  truth, 
and  obey  the  truth,  otherwise  we  are  not  truly 
sound  in  God's  statutes.  Are  there  many  in  these 
evil  days  who  are  sound  }  Oh,  that  the  writer  and 
the  reader  may  be  two  of  this  sort ! 

Many  will  be  ashamed  in  the  last  great  day, 
when  all  disputes  will  be  decided.  Then  they  v/ill 
see  the  folly  of  their  inventions,  and  be  filled  with 
remorse  because  of  their  proud  infidelity  and  wilful 
defiance  of  the  Lord  ;  but  he  who  believed  what 
the  Lord  taught,  and  did  what  the  Lord  com- 
manded, will  stand  forth  justified  in  what  he  did. 
Then  shall  the  righteous  shine  forth  as  the  sun. 
Men  much  slandered  and  abused  shall  find  their 
shame  turned  into  glory  in  that  day. 

Let  us  pray  the  prayer  of  our  text,  and  we  may 
be  sure  that  its  promi.se  will  be  fulfilled  to  us.  If 
the  Lord  makes  us  sound,  he  will  keep  us  safe. 


172  iFattl)'g  Cfjcque  Book  June  20. 

^'Yea,  though  Itvalk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  oj 
death,  I  ivill  fear  no  evil :  for  thou  art  with  me  ;  thy  rod 
and  thy  staff  they  comfort  ?iie." — Ps.  xxiii.  4. 

SWEET  are  tliese  words  in  describing  a  deathbed 
assurance.  How  many  have  repeated  them 
in  their  last  hours  with  intense  delight ! 

But  the  verse  is  equally  applicable  to  agonies  of 
spirit  in  the  midst  of  life.  Some  of  us,  like  Paul, 
die  daily  through  a  tendency  to  gloom  of  soul. 
Bunyan  puts  the  Valley  of  the  Shadow  of  Death 
far  earlier  in  the  pilgrimage  than  the  river  which 
rolls  at  the  foot  of  the  celestial  hills.  We  have 
some  of  us  traversed  the  dark  and  dreadful  defile 
of  "  the  shadow  of  death "  several  times,  and  we 
can  bear  witness  that  the  Lord  alone  enabled  us 
to  bear  up  amid  its  wild  thoughts,  its  mysterious 
horrors,  its  terrible  depressions.  The  Lord  has 
sustained  us,  and  kept  us  above  all  real  fear  of 
evil,  even  when  our  spirit  has  been  overwhelmed. 
We  have  been  pressed  and  oppressed,  but  yet  we 
have  lived,  for  we  have  felt  the  presence  of  the 
Great  Shepherd,  and  have  been  confidsnt  that  his 
crook  would  prevent  the  foe  from  giving  us  any 
deadly  wound. 

Should  the  present  time  be  one  darkened  by  the 
raven  wings  of  a  great  sorrow,  let  us  glorify  God 
by  a  peaceful  trust  in  him. 


June  21.  ifaitfj'g  Cfjeque  Booft.  173 

"77/c  Lord  shall  sell  Sisira  into  the  hand  of  a  7c>oman.'' 
Judges  iv.  9. 

RATHER  an  unusual  text,  but  there  may  be 
souls  in  the  world  that  may  have  faith 
enough  to  grasp  it.  Barak,  the  man,  though  called 
to  the  war,  had  little  stomach  for  the  fight  unless 
Deborah  would  go  with  him,  and  so  the  Lord 
determined  to  make  it  a  woman's  war.  By  this 
means  he  rebuked  the  slackness  of  the  man,  and 
gained  for  himself  the  more  renown,  and  cast  the 
more  shame  upon  the  enemies  of  his  people. 

The  Lord  can  still  use  feeble  instrumentalities. 
Why  not  me .?  He  may  use  persons  who  are  not 
commonly  called  to  great  public  engagements. 
Why  not  you  ?  The  woman  who  slew  the  enemy 
of  Israel  was  no  Amazon,  but  a  wife  who  tarried  in 
her  tent.  She  was  no  orator,  but  a  woman  who 
milked  the  cows  and  made  butter.  May  not  the 
Lord  use  any  one  of  us  to  accomplish  his  purpose  ? 
Somebody  jnay  come  to  the  house  to-day,  even  as 
Sisera  came  to  Jael's  tent.  Be  it  ours,  not  to  slay 
him,  but  to  save  him.  Let  us  receive  him  with  great 
kindness,  and  then  bring  forth  the  blessed  truth  of 
salvation  by  the  Lord  Jesus,  our  great  Substitute, 
and  press  home  the  command,  "Believe  and  live." 
Who  knoweth  but  some  stout-hearted  sinner  may 
be  slain  by  the  gospel  to-day  ? 


174  j)FaitI)'0  Ctfjcque  5800ft.  June  22. 

'■'■The  fear  of  the  Lord prolongeth  days :  but  the  years  of 
the  wicked  shall  be  shortened^ — Prov.  x.  27. 

THERE  is  no  doubt  about  it.  The  fear  of  the 
Lord  leads  to  virtuous  habits,  and  these  pre- 
vent that  waste  of  life  which  comes  of  sin  and  vice. 
The  holy  rest  which  springs  out  of  faith  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  also  greatly  helps  a  man  when  he  is  ill.  Every 
physician  rejoices  to  have  a  patient  whose  mind  is 
fully  at  ease.  Worry  kills,  but  confidence  in  God 
is  like  healing  medicine. 

We  have  therefore  all  the  arrangements  for  long 
life,  and  if  it  be  really  for  our  good,  we  shall  see 
a  good  old  age,  and  come  to  our  graves  as  shocks 
of  corn  in  their  season.  Let  us  not  be  overcome 
with  sudden  expectation  of  death  the  moment  we 
have  a  finger-ache,  but  let  us  rather  expect  that  we 
may  have  to  work  on  through  a  considerable  length 
of  days. 

And  what  if  we  should  soon  be  called  to  the 
higher  sphere  ?  Certainly  there  would  be  nothing 
to  deplore  in  such  a  summons,  but  everything  to 
rejoice  in.  Living  or  dying  we  are  the  Lord's.  If 
we  live,  Jesus  will  be  with  us  ;  if  we  die,  we  shall 
be  with  Jesus. 

The  truest  lengthening  of  life  is  to  live  while  we 
live,  wasting  no  time,  but  using  every  hour  for  the 
highest  ends.     So  be  it  this  day. 


June  23.  JFaitfj's  (Tfjrquc  Booft.  175 

'^Therefore  thus  saith  the  Lord  concerning  the  king  oj 
Assyria^  He  shall  not  come  into  this  city,  nor  shoot  an 
arrow  there,  nor  come  before  it  with  shield,  nor  cast  a 
bank  against  it.'' — 2  Kings  xix.  32. 

NEITHER  did  Sennacherib  molest  the  city. 
He  had  boasted  loudly,  but  he  could  not 
carry  out  his  threats.  The  Lord  is  able  to  stop  the 
enemies  of  his  people  in  the  very  act.  When  the 
lion  has  the  lamb  between  his  jaws,  the  great 
Shepherd  of  the  sheep  can  rob  him  of  his  prey. 
Our  extremity  only  provides  an  opportunity  for  a 
grander  display  of  divine  power  and  wisdom. 

In  the  case  before  us,  the  terrible  foe  did  not  put 
in  an  appearance  before  the  city  which  he  thirsted 
to  destroy.  No  annoying  arrow  could  he  shoot 
over  the  walls,  and  no  besieging  engines  could  he 
put  to  work  to  batter  down  the  castles,  and  no 
banks  could  he  cast  up  to  shut  in  the  inhabitants. 
Perhaps  in  our  case  also  the  Lord  will  prevent  our 
adversaries  from  doing  us  the  least  harm.  Certainly 
he  can  alter  their  intentions,  or  render  their  designs 
so  abortive  that  they  will  gladly  forego  them.  Let 
us  trust  in  the  Lord  and  keep  his  wa^^  and  he  will 
take  care  of  us.  Yea,  he  will  fill  us  with  wonder- 
ing praise  as  we  see  the  perfection  of  his  deliverance. 

Let  us  not  fear  the  enemy  till  he  actually  comes, 
and  then  let  us  trust  in  the  Lord. 


176  jFait^'s  Cl^eque  Book.  June  24. 

'^And  Amazia/i   said  to   the  man  of  God,  But  tvhat 

shall  we  do  foy  the  hundred  tale/its  which   I  have  given 

to  the  army  of  Israeli     A?id  the  ma?t  of  God  ans^vered^ 

The    Lord  is  able   to  give   thee  much   more  than   this." 

2  Chron,  xxv.  9. 

IF  you  have  made  a  mistake,  bear  the  loss  of 
it ;  but  do  not  act  contrary  to  the  will  of  the 
Lord.  The  Lord  can  give  you  much  more  than 
you  are  likely  to  lose ;  and  if  he  does  not,  will  you 
begin  bargaining  and  chaffering  with  God  ?  The 
king  of  Judah  had  hired  an  army  from  idolatrous 
Israel,  and  he  was  commanded  to  send  home  the 
fighting  men  because  the  Lord  was  not  with  them. 
He  was  willing  to  send  away  the  host,  only  he 
grudged  paying  the  hundred  talents  for  nothing. 
Oh  for  shame !  If  the  Lord  will  give  the  victory 
without  the  hirelings,  surely  it  was  a  good  bargain 
to  pay  their  wages  and  to  be  rid  of  them. 

Be  willing  to  lose  money  for  conscience  sake,  for 
peace  sake,  for  Christ's  sake.  Rest  assured  that 
losses  for  the  Lord  are  not  losses.  Even  in  this 
life  they  are  more  than  recompensed  :  in  some 
cases  the  Lord  prevents  any  loss  from  happening. 
As  to  our  immortal  life,  what  we  lose  for  Jesus  is 
invested  in  heaven.  Fret  not  at  apparent  disaster, 
but  listen  to  the  whisper,  "  The  Lord  is  able  to  give 
thee  much  more  than  this." 


June  25.  Jfai'tlj'g  Cfjeque  ISooft.  177 

''Ami  he  saitli  unto  him.  Verily,  verily,  I  say  utilo  you. 
Hereafter  ye  shall  see  tuaven  open,  and  the  angels  of  God 
ascending  and  descending  upon  the  Son  of  man.'' — John  i.  51. 

A/ES,  to  our  faith  this  .sii,rht  is  plain  even  at  this 
X  day.  We  do  see  heaven  opened.  Jesus 
himself  has  opened  that  kingdom  to  all  believers. 
We  gaze  into  the  place  of  mystery  and  glory,  for  he 
has  revealed  it  to  us.  We  shall  enter  it  soon,  for  he 
is  the  way. 

Now  we  see  the  explanation  of  Jacob's  ladder. 
Between  earth  and  heaven  there  is  a  holy  com- 
merce; prayer  ascends,  and  answers  come  down, 
by  the  way  of  Jesus,  the  Mediator.  We  see  this 
ladder  when  we  see  our  Lord.  In  him  a  stair-way 
of  light  now  furnishes  a  clear  passage  to  the  throne 
of  the  Most  High.  Let  us  use  it,  and  send  up 
b>'  it  the  messengers  of  our  prayers.  We  shall 
live  the  angelic  life  ourselves  if  we  run  up  to  heaven 
in  intercession,  and  lay  hold  upon  the  blessings  of 
the  covenant,  and  then  descend  again  to  scatter 
those  gifts  among  the  sons  of  men. 

This  choice  sight  which  Jacob  only  saw  in  a 
dream  we  will  turn  into  a  bright  reality.  This  very 
day  we  will  be  up  and  down  the  ladder  each  hour ; 
climbing  in  communion,  and  coming  down  in 
labour  to  save  our  fellow-men.  This  is  thy  pro- 
mise, O  Lord  Jesus,  let  us  joyfully  see  it  fulfilled. 


178  j)Faitf)'s  Clirque  Baoh.  juNicae. 

''''Be  ye  also  patient ;  stablish  your  hearts :  for  the  coining 
of  the  Lord  draiveth  ?iigh" — James  v.  8. 

THE  last  word  in  the  Canticle  of  love  is,  "  Make 
haste,  my  beloved,"  and  among  the  last  words 
of  the  Apocalypse  we  read,  "  The  Spirit  and  the 
Bride  say,  Come "  ;  to  which  the  heavenly  Bride- 
groom answers,  "  Surely  I  come  quickly."  Love 
longs  for  the  glorious  appearing  of  the  Lord,  and 
enjoys  this  sweet  promise — "  The  coming  of  the 
Lord  draweth  nigh."  This  stays  our  minds  as  to  the 
future.  We  look  out  with  hope  through  this  window. 
This  sacred  "  window  of  agate  "  lets  in  a  flood  of 
light  upon  the  present,  and  puts  us  into  fine  condi- 
tion for  immediate  work  or  suffering.  Are  we  tried? 
Then  the  nearness  of  our  joy  whispers  patience. 
Are  we  growing  weary  because  we  do  not  see  the 
harvest  of  our  seed-sowing  ?  Again  this  glorious 
truth  cries  to  us,  "  Be  patient."  Do  our  multiplied 
temptations  cause  us  in  the  least  to  waver  ?  Then 
the  assurance,  that  before  long  the  Lord  will  be 
here,  preaches  to  us  from  this  text,  "  Stablish  your 
hearts."  Be  firm,  be  stable,  be  constant,  "stcdfast, 
unmoveable,  always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the 
Lord."  Soon  will  you  hear  the  silver  trumpets 
which  announce  the  coming  of  your  King.  Be  not 
in  the  least  afraid.  Hold  the  fort,  for  he  is  coming  ; 
yea,  he  may  appear  this  very  day. 


June  27-  Jnitl)'0  CCIjcque  Book.  179 

"Su?r/y  the  righteous  shall  give  thanks  u?ito  thy  name  : 
the  upright  shall  dicell  in  thy  presence^ — Ps.  cxl.  13. 

On  that  my  heart  may  be  upright,  that  I  may 
always  be  able  to  bless  the  name  of  the 
Lord  !  He  is  so  good  to  those  that  be  good,  that  I 
would  fain  be  among  them,  and  feel  myself  full  of 
thankfulness  every  day.  Perhaps,  for  a  moment, 
the  righteous  are  staggered  when  their  integrity 
results  in  severe  trial  ;  but  assuredly  the  day  shall 
come  when  they  shall  bless  their  God  that  they  did 
not  yield  to  evil  suggestions  and  adopt  a  shifty 
policy.  In  the  long  run  true  men  will  thank  the 
God  of  the  right  for  leading  them  by  a  right  way. 
Oh  that  I  may  be  among  them  ! 

^\'hat  a  promise  is  implied  in  this  second  clause, 
"  The  upright  shall  dwell  in  thy  presence  "  !  They 
shall  stand  accepted  where  others  appear  only  to 
be  condemned.  They  shall  be  the  courtiers  of  the 
Great  King,  indulged  with  audience  whensoever  they 
desire  it.  They  shall  be  favoured  ones  upon  whom 
Jehovah  smiles,  and  with  whom  he  graciously  com- 
munes. Lord,  I  covet  this  high  honour,  this 
precious  privilege  :  it  will  be  heaven  on  earth  to 
me  to  enjoy  it.  Make  me  in  all  things  upright, 
that  I  may  to-day,  and  to-morrow,  and  every  day 
stand  in  thy  heavenly  presence.  Then  will  I  give 
thanks  unto  thy  name  evermore.     Amen. 


i8o  iFaitl/g  Cljeque  Book.  June  28. 

'■''And  the  Lord  looked  upoji  him,  a?id  said,  Go  in  this 
thy  I/light,  and  thou  shalt  save  Israel  from  the  hand  of  the 
Midianites :  have  not  I  sent  ///^<?  ?"  — Judges  vi.  14. 

WHAT  a  look  was  that  which  the  Lord  gave 
to  Gideon  !  He  looked  him  out  of  his 
discouragements  into  a  holy  bravery.  If  our  look 
to  the  Lord  saves  us,  what  will  not  his  look  at  us 
do?  Lord,  look  on  me  this  day,  and  nerve  me  for 
its  duties  and  conflicts. 

What  a  word  was  this  which  Jehovah  spake  to 
Gideon  !  "  Go."  He  must  not  hesitate.  He  might 
have  answered,  "  What,  go  in  all  this  weakness  ! " 
But  the  Lord  put  that  word  out  of  court  by  saying, 
"  Go  in  this  thy  might."  The  Lord  had  looked 
might  into  him,  and  he  had  now  nothing  to  do  but  to 
use  it,  and  save  Israel  by  smiting  the  Midianites.  It 
may  be  that  the  Lord  has  more  to  do  by  me  than 
I  ever  dreamed  of.  If  he  has  looked  upon  me  he 
has  made  me  strong.  Let  me  by  faith  exercise  the 
power  with  which  he  has  entrusted  me.  He  never 
bids  me  "idle  away  my  time  in  this  my  might.". 
Far  from  it.  I  must  "go,"  because  he  strengthens  me. 

What  a  question  is  that  which  the  Lord  puts  to 
me  even  as  he  put  it  to  Gideon  !  "Have  not  I  sent 
thee  .''  "  Yes,  Lord,  thou  hast  sent  me,  and  I  will  go 
in  thy  strength.  At  thy  command  I  go,  and,  going, 
I  am  assured  that  thou  wilt  conquer  by  me. 


June  20.  jFni'tb's  Cfjequc  13ooh.  i8i 

"  Call  ufiio  ffie,  and  I  tvill  ans7oer  thee,  and  s/inc  thee 
great    and    fnighty    things,    which    thou    k7iowest    7iot." 
Jer.  xxxiii.  3. 

GOD  encourages  us  to  pray.  They  tell  us  that 
prayer  is  a  pious  exercise  which  has  no 
influence  except  upon  the  mind  engaged  in  it. 
We  know  better.  Our  experience  gives  the  lie  a 
thousand  times  over  to  this  infidel  assertion.  Here 
Jehovah,  the  living  God,  distinctly  promises  to 
answer  the  prayer  of  his  servant.  Let  us  call  upon 
him  again,  and  admit  no  doubt  upon  the  question 
of  his  hearing  us  and  answering  us.  He  that  made 
the  ear,  shall  he  not  hear  ?  He  that  gave  parents  a 
love  to  their  children,  will  he  not  listen  to  the  cries 
of  his  own  sons  and  daughters  } 

God  will  answer  his  pleading  people  in  their 
anguish.  He  has  wonders  in  store  for  them. 
What  they  have  never  seen,  heard  of,  or  dreamed 
of,  he  will  do  for  them.  He  will  invent  new  bless- 
ings if  needful.  He  will  ransack  sea  and  land  to 
feed  them  :  he  will  send  every  angel  out  of  heaven 
to  succour  them,  if  their  distress  requires  it.  He 
will  astound  us  with  his  grace,  and  make  us  feel 
that  it  was  never  before  done  in  this  fashion.  All 
he  asks  of  us  is  that  we  will  call  upon  him.  He 
cannot  ask  less  of  u.s.  Let  us  cheerfully  render  him 
our  prayers  at  once. 


i82  Jaitfj's  Cfjfque  Booft.  June  30. 

'■^Nevertheless  T  will  remember  viy  covenajit  zvith  thee  in 
the  days  of  thy  youth,  and  J  7vill  establish  tinto  thee  an 
everlasti?ig  cove?iant."  —  'Ez.  xvi.  60. 

^yOTVVITHSTANDING  our  sins  the  Lord  is 
^  still  faithful  in  his  love  to  us. 
He  looks  back.  See  how  he  remembers  those 
early  days  of  ours  when  he  took  us  into  covenant 
with  himself,  and  we  gave  ourselves  over  to  him. 
Happy  days  those !  The  Lord  does  not  twit  us 
with  them,  and  charge  us  with  being  insincere. 
No,  he  looks  rather  to  his  covenant  with  us  than 
to  our  covenant  with  him.  There  was  no  hypocrisy 
in  that  sacred  compact,  on  his  part,  at  any  rate. 
How  gracious  is  the  Lord  thus  to  look  back  in  love  ! 
He  looks  forzvard  also.  He  is  resolved  that  the 
covenant  shall  not  fail.  \{  ive  do  not  stand  to  it, 
he  does.  He  solemnly  declares,  "  I  will  establish 
unto  thee  an  everlasting  covenant."  He  has  no 
mind  to  draw  back  from  his  promises.  Blessed  be 
his  name,  he  sees  the  sacred  seal,  "  the  blood  of  the 
everlasting  covenant,"  and  he  remembers  our  Surety, 
in  whom  he  ratified  that  covenant,  even  his  own 
dear  Son  ;  and  therefore  he  rests  in  his  covenant 
engagements.  "  He  abidcth  faithful ;  he  cannot 
deny  himself." 

O  Lord,  lay  this  precious  word  upon   my  heart, 
and  help  me  to  feed  upon  it  all  this  day ! 


July  i.  JFaltfj's  Cf)£que  Book.  183 

*'  God  shall  be  with  your — Gen.  xlviii.  21. 

GOOD  old  Jacob  could  no  more  be  with 
Joseph,  for  his  hour  had  come  to  die  :  but 
he  left  his  son  without  anxiety,  for  he  said  with 
confidence,  "  God  shall  be  with  you."  When  our 
dearest  relations,  or  our  most  helpful  friends,  are 
called  home  by  death,  we  must  console  ourselves 
with  the  reflection  that  the  Lord  is  not  departed 
from  us,  but  lives  for  us,  and  abides  with  us  for 
ever. 

If  God  be  with  us,  we  are  in  ennobling  company, 
even  though  we  are  poor  and  despised.  If  God  be 
with  us,  we  have  all-sufficient  strength,  for  nothing 
can  be  too  hard  for  the  Lord.  If  God  be  with  us, 
we  are  always  safe,  for  none  can  harm  those  who 
walk  under  his  shadow.  Oh,  what  a  joy  we  have 
here  !  Not  only  is  God  with  us,  but  he  ^vill  be 
with  us.  With  us  as  individuals  ;  with  us  as 
families  ;  with  us  as  churches.  Is  not  the  very 
name  of  Jesus,  Immanucl — God  with  us  ?  Is  not 
this  the  best  of  all,  that  God  is  with  us  ?  Let  us 
be  bravely  diligent,  and  joyously  hopeful.  Our 
cause  must  prosper,  the  truth  must  win,  for  the 
Lord  is  with  those  who  are  with  him. 

All  this  day  may  this  sweet  word  be  enjoyed  by 
every  believer  who  turns  to  "  Faith's  Cheque 
Book  "     No  greater  happiness  is  possible. 


1 84  Jaitl^'s  Cj^cque  ISoolt.  July  2. 

"So  he  giveth  his  beloved  sleep." — Ps.  cxxvii.  2. 

OURS  is  not  a  life  of  anxious  care,  but  of 
happy  faith.  Our  heavenly  Father  will 
supply  the  wants  of  his  own  children,  and  he 
knoweth  what  we  have  need  of  before  we  ask  him. 
We  may  therefore  go  to  our  beds  at  the  proper 
hour,  and  not  wear  ourselves  out  by  sitting  up  late 
to  plot,  and  plan,  and  contrive.  If  we  have  learned 
to  rely  upon  our  God  we  shall  not  lie  awake  with 
fear  gnawing  at  our  hearts  ;  but  we  shall  leave  our 
care  with  the  Lord,  our  meditation  of  him  shall  be 
sweet,  and  he  will  give  us  refreshing  sleep. 

To  be  the  Lord's  beloved  is  the  highest  possible 
honour,  and  he  who  has  it  may  feel  that  ambition 
itself  could  desire  no  more,  and  therefore  every 
selfish  wish  may  go  to  sleep.  What  more  is  there 
even  in  heaven  than  the  love  of  God  ?  Rest,  then, 
O  soul,  for  thou  hast  all  things. 

Yet  we  toss  to  and  fro  unless  the  Lord  himself 
gives  us  not  only  the  reasons  for  rest,  but  rest 
itself.  Yea,  he  doth  this.  Jesus  himself  is  our 
peace,  our  rest,  our  all.  On  his  bosom  we  sleep 
in  perfect  security,  both  in  life  and  in  death. 

"  Sprinkled  afresh  with  pardoning  blood, 
I  lay  me  down  to  rest, 
As  in  the  embraces  of  my  God, 
Or  on  my  Saviour's  breast." 


Jui.Y  3.  5aitl)'0  Cljcqiic  13oo^.  185 

'^^He  will  be  our  guide  even  unto  dealh." — Ps.  xlviii.  14. 

WE  need  a  guide.  Sometimes  we  would  give 
all  that  wc  have  to  be  told  exactly  what 
to  do,  and  where  to  turn.  We  are  willing  to  do 
right,  but  we  do  not  know  which  out  of  two  roads 
we  are  to  follow.     Oh,  for  a  guide  ! 

The  Lord  our  God  condescends  to  serve  us  as 
guide.  He  knows  the  way,  and  will  pilot  us  along 
it  till  we  reach  our  journey's  end  in  peace.  Surely 
we  do  not  desire  more  infallible  direction.  Let  us 
place  ourselves  absolutely  under  his  guidance,  and 
we  shall  never  miss  our  way.  Let  us  make  him 
our  God,  and  we  shall  find  him  our  guide.  If  we 
follow  his  law  we  shall  not  miss  the  right  road  of 
life,  provided  we  first  learn  to  lean  upon  him  in 
every  step  that  we  take. 

Our  comfort  is,  that  as  he  is  our  God  for  ever  and 
ever,  he  will  never  cease  to  be  with  us  as  our  guide. 
"  Even  unto  death  "  will  he  lead  us,  and  then  we 
shall  dwell  with  him  eternally,  and  go  no  more 
out  for  ever.  This  promise  of  divine  guidance 
involves  life-long  security :  salvation  at  once, 
guidance  unto  our  last  hour,  and  then  endless 
blessedness.  Should  not  each  one  seek  this  in 
youth,  rejoice  in  it  in  middle  life,  and  repose  in  it 
in  old  age  ?  This  day  let  us  look  up  for  guidance 
before  wc  trust  ourselves  out  of  doors. 


1 86  JFai'tlj's  (C!jrquc  13joI{.  '     jtti.v  4. 

'"''Man  shall  not  live  by  bread  alone,  but  by  ex'ery  ivord 
that proceedeth  out  of  the  mouth  of  (?<?/."— Matt.  iv.  4. 

IF  God  so  willed  it  we  could  liv^e  without  bread, 
even  as  Jesus  did  for  forty  days  ;  but  we  could 
not  live  without  his  Word.  By  that  Word  we  were 
created,  and  by  it  alone  can  we  be  kept  in  being, 
for  he  sustaineth  all  things  by  the  Word  of  his 
power.  Bread  is  a  second  cause  ;  the  Lord  himself 
is  the  first  source  of  our  sustenance.  He  can  work 
without  the  second  cause  as  well  as  with  it ;  and  we 
must  not  tie  him  down  to  one  mode  of  operation. 
Let  us  not  be  too  eager  after  the  visible,  but  let  us 
look  to  the  invisible  God.  We  have  heard  be- 
lievers say  that  in  deep  poverty,  when  bread  ran 
short,  their  appetites  became  short  too;  and  to 
others,  when  common  supplies  failed,  the  Lord  has 
sent  in  unexpected  help. 

But  we  must  have  the  Word  of  the  Lord.  With 
this  alone  we  can  withstand  the  devil.  Take  this 
from  us,  and  our  enemy  will  have  us  in  his  power, 
for  we  shall  soon  faint.  Our  souls  need  food,  and 
there  is  none  for  them  outside  of  the  Word  of  the 
Lord.  All  the  books  and  all  the  preachers  in  the 
world  cannot  furnish  us  a  single  meal :  it  is  only 
the  Word  from  the  mouth  of  God  that  can  fill 
the  mouth  of  a  believer.  Lord,  evermore  give  us 
this  bread.     We  prize  it  above  royal  dainties. 


July  5.  JTai'lIj's  Cljcquc  Booh.  1S7 

"/)///■  /  ivill  delivfr  thee  in  that  day,  saith  the  Lord : 
and  thou  shall  not  be  given  into  the  hand  of  the  rnen  of 
ivhom  thou  art  afraid." — Jer.  xxxix.  17. 


w 


HEN  the  Lord's  faithful  ones  are  suffcrinir 
V  for  him,  they  shall  have  sweet  messages  of 
love  from  himself,  and  sometimes  they  shall  h  ae 
glad  tidings  for  those  who  sympathize  with  them 
and  help  them.  Ebed-melech  was  only  a  despised 
Ethiopian,  but  he  was  kind  to  Jeremiah,  and  so 
the  Lord  sent  him  this  special  promise  by  the 
mouth  of  his  prophet.  Let  us  be  ever  mindful  of 
God's  persecuted  servants,  and  he  will  reward  us. 

Ebed-melech  was  to  be  delivered  from  the  men 
whose  vengeance  he  feared.  He  was  only  a  poor 
black  man,  but  Jehovah  would  take  care  of  him. 
Thousands  were  slain  by  the  Chaldeans,  but  this 
lowly  negro  could  not  be  hurt.  We,  too,  may  be 
fearful  of  some  great  ones  who  are  bitter  against 
us  ;  but  if  we  have  been  faithful  to  the  Lord's  cause 
in  the  hour  of  persecution,  he  will  be  faithful  to  us. 
After  all,  what  can  man  do  without  the  Lord's  per- 
mission ?  He  puts  a  bit  into  the  mouth  of  rage,  and 
a  bridle  upon  the  head  of  power.  Let  us  fear  the 
Lord,  and  we  shall  have  no  one  else  to  fear.  No 
cup  of  cold  water  given  to  a  despised  prophet  of 
God  shall  be  without  its  reward  ;  and  if  we  stand 
up  for  Jesus,  Jesus  will  stand  up  for  us. 


i<SS  ifai'tlj's  €f)cque  13ooIt.  July  6. 

"/^r  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  o'lly- 
begolttti  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  In  in  should  not 
perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.'" — John  iii.  16. 

OF  all  the  stars  in  the  sky  the  pole-star  is  the 
most  useful  to  the  mariner.  This  text  is  a 
pole-star,  for  it  has  guided  more  souls  to  salvation 
than  any  other  Scripture,  It  is  among  promises 
what  the  Great  Bear  is  among  constellations. 

Several  words  in  it  shine  with  peculiar  brilliance. 
Here  we  have  God's  love,  with  a  SO  to  it,  which 
marks  its  measureless  greatness.  Then  we  have 
Gocfs  gift  in  all  its  freeness  and  greatness.  This 
also  is  God's  Son,  that  unique  and  priceless  gift  of 
a  love  which  could  never  fully  show  itself  till 
heaven's  Only-begotten  had  been  sent  to  live  and 
die  for  men.     These  three  points  are  full  of  light. 

Then  there  is  the  simple  requirevient  of  believing, 
which  graciously  points  to  a  way  of  salvation  suit- 
able for  guilty  men.  This  is  backed  by  a  wide 
description — "  whosoever  believeth  in  him."  Many 
have  found  room  in  "  whosoever  "  who  would  have 
felt  themselves  shut  out  by  a  narrower  word.  Then 
comes  tJie  great  promise,  that  believers  in  Jesus  shall 
not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.  This  is  cheer- 
ing to  every  man  who  feels  that  he  is  ready  to 
perish,  and  that  he  cannot  save  himself.  We  believe 
in  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  we  have  eternal  life. 


Jlly  7.  iFaitiys  CfjfquE  Book.  189 

"  Sif/^,  O  /leavens ;  and  be  Joyful,  O  earth  ;  and  brrak 
forth  itito  singing,  O  mountains :  for  the  Lord  hath  com- 
forted his  people,  and  vill  have  mercy  upon  his  afflicted." 
I>a.  xlix.  13. 

SO  sweet  are  the  comforts  of  the  Lord,  that  not 
on)y  the  saints  themselves  may  sing  of  them, 
but  even  the  heavens  and  the  earth  may  take  up 
the  song.  It  takes  something  to  make  a  mountain 
sing  ;  and  yet  the  prophet  summons  quite  a  choir 
of  them.  Lebanon,  and  Sirion,  and  the  high  hills  of 
Bashan  and  Moab,  he  would  set  them  all  singing 
because  of  Jehovah's  grace  to  his  own  Zion.  May 
we  not  also  make  mountains  of  difficulty,  and  trial, 
and  mystery,  and  labour  become  occasions  for 
praise  unto  our  God?  "Break  forth  into  singing, 
O  mountains  1" 

This  word  of  promise,  that  our  God  will  have 
mercy  upon  his  afflicted,  has  a  whole  peal  of  bells 
connected  with  it.  Hear  their  music — "  Sing  !  " 
"  Be  joyful ! "  "  Break  forth  into  singing."  The 
Lord  would  have  his  people  happy  because  of  his 
unfailing  love.  He  would  not  have  us  sad  and 
doubtful  ;  he  claims  from  us  the  worship  of 
believing  hearts.  He  cannot  fail  us  :  why  should 
we  sigh  or  sulk  as  if  he  would  do  so?  Oh  for  a 
well-tuned  harp !  Oh  for  voices  like  those  of  the 
cherubim  before  the  tlirone! 


190  Jaitfj's  fi^J)cque  Boofc  Jclv  8. 

"77zi?  angel  of  the  Lord  eucampeth  round  about  them 
that  fear  him,  and  ddivcrcth  them."  —Vs.  xxxiv.  7. 

WE  cannot  see  the  angels,  but  it  is  enough 
that  they  can  sec  us.  There  is  one  great 
Angel  of  the  Covenant,  whom  not  having  seen  we 
love,  and  his  eye  is  always  upon  us  both  day  and 
night.  He  has  a  host  of  holy  ones  under  him,  and 
he  causes  these  to  be  watchers  over  his  saints  and 
to  guard  them  from  all  ill.  If  devils  do  us  mischief, 
shining  ones  do  us  service. 

Note  that  the  Lord  of  angels  does  not  come  and 
go,  and  pay  us  transient  visits,  but  he  and  his 
armies  encamp  around  us.  The  head-quarters  of 
the  army  of  salvation  are  where  those  live  whose 
trust  is  in  the  living  God.  This  camp  surrounds 
the  faithful,  so  that  they  cannot  be  attacked  from 
any  quarter  unless  the  adversary  can  break  through 
the  entrenchments  of  the  Lord  of  angels.  We  have 
a  fixed  protection,  a  permanent  watch.  Sentinelled 
by  the  messengers  of  God,  we  shall  not  be  sur- 
prised by  sudden  assaults,  nor  swallowed  up  by 
overwhelming  forces.  Deliverance  is  promised  in 
this  verse — deliverance  by  the  great  Captain  of 
our  salvation,  and  that  deliverance  we  shall  obtain 
again  and  again  until  our  warfare  is  accomplished 
and  we  exchange  the  field  of  conflict  for  the  home 
of  rest. 


July  9.  JFait[)*3  Cfjrqtic  15aoIt.  191 

'■'Mine  eyes  shall  be  upon  the  faithful  of  the  iand.  that 
they  may  dwell  with  me :  he  that  walketh  ifi  a  perfect  way, 
he  shall  se7"i<e  7ne." — ]'s.  ci.  6. 

IF  David  spoke  thus,  we  may  be  sure  that  the 
Son  of  David  will  be  of  the  same  mind. 
Jesus  looks  out  for  faithful  men,  and  he  fixes  liis 
eyes  upon  them,  to  observe  them,  to  brin^  them 
forward,  to  encourage  them,  and  to  reward  them. 
Let  no  true-hearted  man  think  that  he  is  over- 
looked ;  the  King  himself  has  his  eye  upon  him. 

There  are  two  results  of  this  royal  notice.  First  we 
read,"  that  they  may  dwell  with  me."  Jesus  brings 
tlie  faithful  into  his  house,  he  sets  them  in  his  palace, 
he  makes  tliem  his  companions,  he  delights  in  their 
society.  We  must  be  true  to  our  Lord,  and  he  wi:l 
then  manifest  himself  to  us.  When  our  faithful- 
ness costs  us  most  it  will  be  best  rewarded  ;  the 
more  furiously  men  reject  the  more  joyfully  will 
our  Lord  receive  us. 

Next,  he  says  of  the  sincere  man,  "  he  shall  serve 
me."  Jesus  will  use  for  his  own  glory  those  who 
scorn  the  tricks  of  policy,  and  are  faithful  to  him- 
self, his  Word,  and  his  Cros.s.  These  shall  be  in 
his  royal  retinue,  the  honoured  servants  of  his 
Majesty.  Communion  and  usefulness  are  the  wages 
of  faithfulness.  Lord  make  me  faithful,  that  I 
may  dwell  with  thee,  and  serve  thcc. 


192  Jai'Uj's  Cfjequc  33aoIt.  jui.y  ta 

'''Thou  shalt  arise,  and  have  mercy  upon  Zion :  for 
the  time  to  favour  Iter,  yea,  the  set  time,  is  come.  For 
thy  servants  take  pleasure  in  her  stones,  a?id  favour  tlie 
dust  thereof.'' — Ps.  cii.  13,  14. 

YES,  our  prayers  for  the  church  will  be  heard. 
The  set  time  is  come.  We  love  the  prayer 
meeting,  and  the  Sunday-school,  and  all  the  ser- 
vices of  the  Lord's  house.  We  are  bound  in  heart 
to  all  the  people  of  God,  and  can  truly  say, 

"  There's  not  a  lamb  in  all  thy  flock 

I  would  disdain  to  feed  ; 
There's  not  a  foe  before  whose  face 

I'd  fear  thy  cause  to  plead." 

If  this  is  the  general  feeling,  we  shall  soon  enjoy 
times  of  refreshing  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord/ 
Our  assemblies  will  be  filled,  saints  will  be  revived, 
and  sinners  will  be  converted.  This  can  only  come 
of  the  Lord's  mercy  ;  but  it  will  come,  and  we  are 
called  upon  to  expect  it.  The  time,  the  set  time, 
is  come.  Let  us  bestir  ourselves.  Let  us  love 
every  stone  of  our  Zion,  even  though  it  may  be 
fallen  down.  Let  us  treasure  up  the  least  truth, 
the  least  ordinance,  the  least  believer,  even  though 
some  may  despise  them  as  only  so  much  dust. 
When  we  favour  Zion,  God  is  about  to  favour  her. 
When  we  take  pleasure  in  the  Lord's  work,  the 
Lord  himself  will  take  pleasure  in  it.^ 


July  ii.  iFaiUj's  djfquc  Bock.  193 

"And  whosoever  livcth  and  believeth  in  vie  shall  7iever 
die.     Believest  thou  this?" — ^John  xi.  26. 

YES,  Lord,  we  believe  it  ;  we  shall  never  die. 
Our  soul  may  be  separated  from  our  body, 
and  this  is  death  of  a  kind  ;  but  our  soul  shall  never 
be  separated  from  God,  which  is  the  true  death — 
the  death  which  was  threatened  to  sin — the  death 
penalty  which  is  the  worst  that  can  happen.  We 
believe  this  most  assuredly,  for  who  shall  separate 
us  from  the  love  of  God  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our 
Lord  ?  We  are  members  of  the  body  of  Christ ;  will 
Christ  lose  parts  of  his  body  ?  We  are  married  to 
Jesus  ;  will  he  be  bereaved  and  widowed  ?  It  is  not 
possible.  There  is  a  life  within  us  which  is  not 
capable  of  being  divided  from  God  :  yea,  and  the 
Holy  Spirit  dwells  within  us,  and  how  then  can  we 
die  ?  Jesus,  himself,  is  our  life,  and  therefore  there 
is  no  dying  for  us,  for  he  cannot  die  again.  In  him 
we  died  unto  sin  once,  and  the  capital  sentence 
cannot  a  second  time  be  executed.  Now  we  live, 
and  live  for  ever.  The  reward  of  righteousness  is  life 
everlasting,  and  we  have  nothing  less  than  the 
righteousness  of  God,  and  therefore  can  claim  the 
very  highest  reward. 

Living  and  believing,  we  believe  that  we  shall 
live  and  enjoy.  Wherefore  we  press  forward  with  full 
assurance  that  our  life  is  secure  in  our  living  Head. 

13 


194  JFaitlj'g  €f)cqiie  Boclt.  July  12. 

"7^(?  Lord  knoweth  hotv  to  delirer  the  godly  otit  of 
temptations,  and  to  reserve  the  unjust  unto  the  day  of 
judgment  to  be  punished. '' — 2  Peter  ii.  9. 

THE  godly  are  tempted  and  tried.  That  is  not 
true  faith  which  is  never  put  to  the  test. 
But  the  godly  are  deHvered  out  of  their  trials,  and 
that  not  by  chance,  nor  by  secondary  agencies,  but 
by  the  Lord  himself.  He  personally  undertakes 
the  office  of  delivering  those  who  trust  him.  God 
loves  the  godly  or  godlike,  and  he  makes  a  poirjt  of 
knowing  where  they  are,  and  how  they  fare. 

Sometimes  their  way  seems  to  be  a  labyrinth,  and 
they  cannot  imagine  how  they  are  to  escape  from 
threatening  danger.  What  they  do  not  know  their 
Lord  knows.  He  knows  whom  to  deliver,  and  when 
to  deliver,  and  how  to  deliver.  He  delivers  in  the 
way  which  is  most  beneficial  to  the  godly,  most 
crushing  to  the  tempter,  and  most  glorifying  to 
liimself.  We  may  leave  the  "  how  "  with  the  Lord, 
and  be  content  to  rejoice  in  the  fact  that  he  will,  in 
some  way  or  other,  bring  his  own  people  through 
all  the  dangers,  trials,  and  temptations  of  this  mortal 
life,  to  his  own  right  hand  in  glory. 

This  day  it  is  not  for  me  to  pry  into  my  Lord's 
secrets,  but  patiently  to  wait  his  time,  knowing  this, 
that  though  I  know  nothing,  my  heavenly  Father 
knows.  . 


jui.Y  13.  jFaitVs  (Cljcqiie  33ook.  195 

'■'■For  I  will  surely  deliver  ikee,  and  thou  shall  not  fall 
by  the  siuord,  but  thy  life  shall  be  for  a  prey  unto  thee  : 
because   thou  hast  put  thy  trust  ifi  me,  saith  the  Lord." 
Jer.  xxxix.  l8. 

BEHOLD  the  protecting  power  of  trust  in  God. 
The  great  men  of  Jerusalem  fell  by  the  sword, 
but  poor  Ebed-melech  was  secure,  for  his  confidence 
was  in  Jehovah.  Where  else  should  a  man  trust 
but  in  his  Maker?  We  are  foolish  when  we  prefer 
the  creature  to  the  Creator.  Oh,  that  we  could  in 
all  things  live  by  faith,  then  should  we  be  delivered 
in  all  time  of  danger  !  No  one  ever  did  trust  in 
the  Lord  in  vain,  and  no  one  ever  shall. 

The  Lord  saith,  "  I  will  surely  deliver  thee." 
Mark  the  divine  "surely."  Whatever  else  may  be 
uncertain,  God's  care  of  believers  is  sure.  God  him- 
self is  the  guardian  of  the  gracious.  Under  his 
sacred  wing  there  is  safety  even  when  every  danger 
is  abroad.  Can  we  accept  this  promise  as  sure  ? 
Then  in  our  present  emergency  we  shall  find  that 
it  stands  fast.  We  hope  to  be  delivered  because  \\  e 
have  friends,  or  because  we  are  prudent,  or  because 
we  can  see  hopeful  signs  ;  but  none  of  these  things 
are  one  half  so  good  as  God's  simple  "  because 
thou  hast  put  thy  trust  in  me."  Dear  reader,  try 
this  way,  and,  trying  it,  you  will  keep  to  it  all  your 
life.     It  is  as  sweet  as  it  is  sure. 


196  iFaitfj's  CIjequE  Baoft.  July  14. 

'■'■Cast  thy  burden  upoti  the  Lord,  and  he  shall  sustain 
thee :    he  shall  never  suj^er  the  righteous   to  be   moved.'" 
Ps.  Iv.  22. 

IT  is  a  heavy  burden,  roll  it  on  Omnipotence.  It 
is  thy  burden  now,  and  it  crushes  thee  ;  but 
when  the  Lord  takes  it,  he  will  make  nothing  of  it. 
If  thou  art  called  still  to  bear  it,  "he  will  sustain 
thee."  It  will  be  on  thee,  and  not  on  thee.  Thou 
wilt  be  so  upheld  under  it  that  the  burden  will  be 
a  blessing.  Bring  the  Lord  into  the  matter  and 
thou  wilt  stand  upright  under  that  which  in  itself 
would  bow  thee  down. 

Our  worst  fear  is  lest  our  trial  should  drive  us 
from  the  path  of  duty  ;  but  this  the  Lord  will  never 
suffer.  If  we  are  righteous  before  him  he  will  not 
endure  that  our  affliction  should  move  us  from  our 
standing.  In  Jesus  he  accepts  us  as  righteous,  and 
in  Jesus  he  will  keep  us  so. 

What  about  the  present  moment  ?  Art  thou 
going  forth  to  this  day's  trial  alone  ?  Are  thy 
poor  shoulders  again  to  be  galled  with  the  oppres- 
sive load  ?  Be  not  so  foolish.  Tell  the  Lord  all 
about  thy  grief,  and  leave  it  with  him.  Don't  cast 
your  burden  down,  and  then  take  it  up  again  ;  but 
roll  it  on  the  Lord,  and  leave  it  there.  Then  shalt 
thou  walk  at  large,  a  joyful  and  unburdened  believer, 
sinp;ing  the  praises  of  thy  great  Burden-bearer. 


July  15.  ^ai'tlj's  Cljcque  i3ooIt.  197 


^'Blessed  arc  they  that  mourn  :  for  they  shall  be  com- 
forted."— Matt.  V.  4. 


BY  the  valley  of  weeping  we  come  to  Zion.  One 
would  have  thought  mourning  and  being 
blessed  were  in  opposition,  but  the  infinitely  wise 
Saviour  puts  them  together,  in  this  beatitude.  What 
he  has  joined  together  let  no  man  put  asunder. 
Mourning  for  sin — our  own  sins,  and  the  sins  of 
others— is  the  Lord's  seal  set  upon  his  faithful 
ones.  When  the  Spirit  of  grace  is  poured  upon 
the  house  of  David,  or  any  other  house,  they  shall 
mourn.  By  holy  mourning  we  receive  the  best  of 
our  blessings,  even  as  the  rarest  commodities  come 
to  us  by  water.  Not  only  shall  the  mourner  be 
blessed  at  some  future  day,  but  Christ  pronounces 
him  blessed  even  now. 

The  Holy  Spirit  will  surely  comfort  those  hearts 
which  mourn  for  sin.  They  shall  be  comforted  by 
the  application  of  the  blood  of  Jesus,  and  by  the 
cleansing  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  They  shall  be 
comforted  as  to  the  abounding  sin  of  their  city  and 
of  their  age  by  the  assurance  that  God  will  glorify 
himself,  however  much  men  may  rebel  against  him. 
They  shall  be  comforted  with  the  expectation  that 
they  shall  be  wholly  freed  from  sin  before  long,  and 
shall  soon  be  taken  up  to  dwell  for  ever  in  the 
glorious  presence  of  their  Lord. 


198  iFaitT)'3  Cljcqiie  Book.  July  16. 

"/  ivill  save  her  that  halteihT — Zeph.  iii.  19. 

THERE  are  plenty  of  these  lame  ones,  both 
male  and  female.  You  may  meet  "  her 
that  haltcth  "  twenty  times  in  an  hour.  They  are 
in  the  right  road,  and  exceedingly  anxious  to  run 
in  it  with  diligence,  but  they  are  lame,  and  make 
a  sorry  walk  of  it.  On  the  heavenly  road  there 
are  many  cripples.  It  may  be  that  they  say  in  their 
hearts — What  will  become  of  us  ?  Sin  will  over- 
take us,  Satan  will  throw  us  down.  Ready-to- 
halt  is  our  name  and  our  nature  ;  the  Lord  can 
never  make  good  soldiers  of  us,  nor  even  nimble 
messengers  to  go  on  his  errands.  Well,  well !  he 
will  save  us,  and  that  is  no  small  thing.  He  says, 
"  I  will  save  her  that  halteth."  In  saving  us  he 
will  greatly  glorify  himself.  Everybody  will  ask  — 
How  came  this  lame  woman  to  run  the  race  and 
win  the  crown  ?  And  then  the  praise  will  all  be 
g'iven  to  almighty  grace. 

Lord,  though  I  halt  in  faith,  in  prayer,  in  praise, 
in  service,  and  in  patience,  save  me,  I  beseech  thee ! 
Only  thou  canst  save  such  a  cripple  as  I  am.  Lord, 
let  me  not  perish  because  I  am  among  the  hind- 
most, but  gather  up  by  thy  grace  the  slowest  of  thy 
pilgrims — even  me.  Behold  he  hath  said  it  shall 
be  s"),  and  therefore,  like  Jacob,  prevailing  in  prayer, 
I  go  forward  though  my  sinew  be  shrunk. 


Jui-v  17.  Jai'tlj's  Cljrqut  Dooh.  199 

'■'■The  pcopls  that  do  know  their  God  shall  be  strong, 
and  do  ex/loits." — Dan.  xi.  32. 

'' '  I  ^HE  Lord  is  a  man  of  war,  Jehovah  is  his 
X  name."  Those  who  enlist  under  his  banner 
shall  have  a  commander  who  will  train  them  for 
the  conflict,  and  tj^ive  them  both  vigour  and  valour. 
The  times  of  which  Daniel  wrote  were  of  the  very 
worst  kind,  and  then  it  was  promised  that  the 
people  of  God  would  come  out  in  their  best 
colours  :  they  would  be  strong  and  stout  to 
confront  the  powerful  adversary. 

Oh,  that  we  may  know  our  God  ;  his  power,  his 
faithfulness,  his  immutable  love,  and  so  may  be 
ready  to  risk  everything  in  his  behalf.  He  is  one 
whose  character  excites  our  enthusiasm,  and  makes 
us  willing  to  live  and  to  die  for  him.  Oh,  that  we 
may  know  our  God  by  familiar  fellowship  with 
him  ;  for  then  we  shall  become  like  him,  and  shall 
be  prepared  to  stand  up  for  truth  and  righteous- 
ness. He  who  comes  forth  fresh  from  beholding  the 
face  of  God  will  never  fear  the  face  of  man.  If  we 
dwell  with  him,  we  shall  catch  the  heroic  spirit,  and 
to  us  a  world  of  enemies  will  be  but  as  the  drop  of 
a  bucket.  A  countless  array  of  men,  or  even  of 
devils,  will  seem  as  little  to  us  as  the  nations  are  to 
God,  and  he  counts  them  only  as  grasshoppers. 
Ohj  to  be  valiant  for  truth  in  this  day  of  falsehood. 


200  iFaillj's  Cljfquc  13aok.  j-ly  i8. 

"/  'will  allure  her,  and  bring  her  into  the  wilder ness^ 
and  speak  comfortably  unto  her^ — Hosea  ii.  14. 

THE  goodness  of  God  sees  us  allured  by  sin, 
and  it  resolves  to  try  upon  us  the  more 
powerful  allurements  of  love.  Do  we  not  remem- 
ber when  the  Lover  of  our  souls  first  cast  a  spell 
upon  us  and  charmed  us  away  from  the  fascinations 
of  the  world  ?  He  "will  do  this  again  and  again 
whenever  he  sees  us  likely  to  be  ensnared  by  evil. 

He  promises  to  draw  us  apart,  for  there  he  can 
best  deal  with  us,  and  this  separated  place  is  not  to 
be  a  Paradise,  but  a  wilderness,  since  in  such  a  place 
there  will  be  nothing  to  take  off  our  attention  from 
our  God.  In  the  deserts  of  affliction  the  presence 
of  the  Lord  becomes  everything  to  us,  and  we  prize 
his  company  beyond  any  value  which  we  set  upon 
it  when  we  sat  under  our  own  vine  and  fig-tree  in 
the  society  of  our  fellows.  Solitude  and  affliction 
bring  more  to  themselves  and  to  their  heavenly 
Father  than  any  other  means. 

When  thus  allured  and  secluded  the  Lord  has 
choice  things  to  say  to  us  for  our  comfort.  He 
"  speaks  to  our  heart,"  as  the  original  has  it.  Oh 
that  at  this  time  we  may  have  this  promise  explained 
in  our  experience  !  Allured  by  love,  separated  by 
trial,  and  comforted  by  the  Spirit  of  truth,  may  we 
know  the  Lord  and  sing  for  joy ! 


July  19.  iFnitf)'2  €!jfque  Booft.  201 

"77/v  s/iocs  shall  be  iron  and  brass ;  and  as  thy  days,  so 
shall  thy  strength  be." — Deut.  x>:xiii.  25. 

HER  I*'  are  two  things  provided  for  the  pilgrim: 
shoes  and  strength. 

As  for  tlic  shoes:  they  are  very  needful  for 
travelling  along  rough  wa)'S,  and  for  trampling 
upon  deadly  foes.  We  shall  not  go  barefoot — 
this  would  not  be  suitable  for  princes  of  the  blood 
royal.  Our  shoes  shall  not  be  at  all  of  the 
common  sort,  for  they  shall  have  soles  of  durable 
metal,  which  will  not  wear  out  even  if  the  journey 
be  long  and  difficult.  We  shall  have  protection 
proportionate  to  the  necessities  of  the  road  and  the 
battle.  Wherefore  let  us  march  boldly  on,  fearing 
no  harm  even  though  we  tread  on  serpents,  or  set 
our  foot  upon  the  dragon  himself. 

As  for  the  strength  :  it  shall  be  continued  as  long 
as  our  days  shall  continue,  and  it  shall  be  propor- 
tioned to  the  stress  and  burden  of  those  days.  The 
words  are  few,  "  as  thy  days  thy  strength,"  but  the 
meaning  is  full.  This  day  we  may  look  for  trial, 
and  for  work  which  will  require  energy,  but  we  may 
just  as  confidently  look  for  equal  strength.  This 
word  given  to  Asher  is  given  to  us  also  who  have 
faith  wherewith  to  appropriate  it.  Let  us  rise  to 
the  holy  boldness  which  it  is  calculated  to  create 
within  the  believing  heart. 


202  ifaitf)'0   CIjcqUE  iSook.  July  20. 

"  Unto  them  that  look  for  him  shall  he  appear  the  second 
time  without  sin  unto  salvation^ — Heb.  ix.  28. 

THIS  is  our  hope.  He  to  whom  we  have 
already  looked  as  coming  once  to  bear  the 
sins  of  many  will  have  another  manifestation  to  the 
sons  of  men  ;  this  is  a  happy  prospect  in  itself. 
But  that  second  appearing  has  certain  peculiar 
marks  which  glorify  it  exceedingly. 

Our  Lord  will  have  ended  the  business  of  sin. 
He  has  so  taken  it  away  from  his  people,  and  so 
effectually  borne  its  penalty,  that  he  will  have 
nothing  to  do  with  it  at  his  second  coming.  He 
will  present  no  sin-offering,  for  he  will  have  utterly 
put  sin  away. 

Our  Lord  will  then  complete  the  salvation  of  his 
people.  They  will  be  finally  and  perfectly  saved, 
and  will  in  every  respect  enjoy  the  fulness  of  that 
salvation.  He  comes  not  to  bear  the  result  of  our 
transgressions,  but  to  bring  the  result  of  his  obe- 
dience ;  not  to  remove  our  condemnation,  but  to 
perfect  our  salvation. 

Our  Lord  thus  appears  only  to  those  who  look 
for  him.  He  will  not  be  seen  in  this  character 
by  men  whose  eyes  are  blinded  with  self  and  sin. 
To  them  he  will  be  a  terrible  Judge,  and  nothing 
more.  We  must  first  look  to  him,  and  then  look 
for  him  ;  and  in  both  cases  our  look  shall  be  life. 


July  21.  jFnltlj's  Cf}cquc  13aah.  203 

*^^fid  they  that  be  7vise  shall  shifie  as  the  brr^htness  of 
the  firmament ;  and  they  that  turti  7nany  to  righteousness 
as  the  stars  for  eiur  and  ever." — Dan.  xii.  3. 

HERE  is  something  to  wake  mc  up.  This  is 
worth  living  for.  To  be  wise  is  a  noble 
thing  in  itself:  in  this  place  it  refers  to  a  divine 
wisdom  which  only  the  Lord  himself  can  bestow. 
Oh  to  know  myself,  my  God,  my  Saviour !  May  I 
be  so  divinely  taught  that  I  may  carry  into  practice 
heavenly  truth,  and  live  in  the  light  of  it  1  Is  my 
life  a  wise  one .-'  Am  I  seeking  that  which  I  ought 
to  seek  ?  Am  I  living  as  I  shall  wish  I  had  lived 
when  I  come  to  die?  Only  such  wisdom  can 
secure  for  me  eternal  brightness  as  of  yonder  sunlit 
skies. 

To  be  a  witiner  of  souls  is  a  glorious  attainment. 
I  had  need  be  wise  if  I  am  to  turn  even  one  to 
righteousness  ;  much  more  if  I  am  to  turn  many. 
Oh  for  the  knowledge  of  God,  of  men,  of  the  Word, 
and  of  Christ,  which  will  enable  me  to  convert  my 
fellow-men,  and  to  convert  large  numbers  of  them  ! 
I  would  give  myself  to  this,  and  never  rest  till  I 
accomplish  it.  This  will  be  better  than  winning 
stars  at  court.  This  will  make  mc  a  star,  a  shining 
star,  a  star  shining  for  ever  and  ever  ;  yea  more, 
it  will  make  me  shine  as  many  stars.  My  soul, 
arouse  thyself !     Lord,  quicken  me! 


204  JFatt|)'0  Cf)cquc  Book.     .  Jui.y  22. 

"A?td  I  will  betroth  thee  7into  me  for  ever ;  yea,  I  will 

betroth  thee  unto  me  i?i  righteousness,  a?id  in  Judgfnent,  and 

in  lovifigkindness,  and  in  mercies.    I  will  even  betroth  thee 

tin  to  me  infaithfichiess  ;  and  thou  shall  know  the  LordP 

Hosea  ii.  19,  20. 

BETROTHMENT  unto  the  Lord!  What  an 
honour  and  a  joy  !  My  soul,  is  Jesus  indeed 
thine  by  his  own  condescending  betrothal  ?  Then, 
mark,  it  is  for  ever.  He  will  never  break  his  en- 
gagement, much  less  sue  out  a  divorce  against  a 
soul  joined  to  himself  in  marriage  bonds. 

Three  times  the  Lord  says,  "  1  will  betroth  thee." 
What  words  he  heaps  together  to  set  forth  the 
betrothal !  Righteousness  comes  in  to  make  the 
covenant  legal  ;  none  can  forbid  these  lawful 
banns.  Judgment  sanctions  the  alliance  with  its 
decree  :  none  can  see  folly  or  error  in  the  match. 
Lovingkindness  warrants  that  this  is  a  love  union, 
for  without  love  betrothal  is  bondage,  and  not 
blessedness.  Meanwhile,  mercy  smiles,  and  even 
sings  ;  yea,  she  multiplies  herself  into  "  mercies," 
because  of  the  abounding  grace  of  this  holy  union. 

Faithfulness  is  the  registrar,  and  records  the 
marriage,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  says  "Amen"  to 
it,  as  he  promises  to  teach  the  betrothed  heart  all 
the  sacred  kn9wledge  needful  for  its  high  destiny. 
What  a  promise  1 


July  23.  JFnitlj's  €f)rque  13oolt.  205 

'■'^And  their  sins  and  i  liqiiilies  will  I  rememberno  jnore^'' 
Ileb.  X.  17. 

ACCORDING  to  this  gracious  covenant  the 
Lord  treats  his  people  as  if  they  had  never 
sinned.  Practically,  he  forgets  all  their  trespasses. 
Sins  of  all  kinds  he  treats  as  if  they  had  never  been; 
as  if  they  were  quite  erased  from  his  memory.  O 
miracle  of  grace  !  God  here  doth  that  which  in 
certain  aspects  is  impossible  to  him.  His  mercy 
worketh  miracles  which  far  transcend  all  other 
miracles. 

Our  God  ignores  our  sin  now  that  the  sacrifice  of 
Jesus  has  ratified  the  covenant.  We  may  rejoice  in 
him  without  fear  that  he  will  be  provoked  to  anger 
against  us  because  of  our  iniquities.  See  !  he  puts 
us  among  the  children ;  he  accepts  us  as  righteous  ; 
he  takes  delight  in  us  as  if  we  were  perfectlj'  holy. 
He  even  puts  us  into  places  of  trust  ;  makes  us 
guardians  of  his  honour,  trustees  of  the  crown  jewels, 
stewards  of  the  gospel.  He  counts  us  worthy,  and 
gives  us  a  ministry  ;  this  is  the  highest  and  most 
special  proof  that  he  does  not  remember  our  sins. 
Even  when  we  forgive  an  enemy,  we  are  very  slow 
to  trust  him  ;  we  judge  it  to  be  imprudent  so  to  do. 
But  the  Lord  forgets  our  sins,  and  treats  us  as  if  we 
had  never  erred.  O  my  soul,  what  a  promise  is 
this !     Believe  it  and  be  happy. 


2o6  JFaitlj's  Cljcquc  Book.  July  24. 

''■He  that  ovcnomcth,  the  same  shall  be  clothed  in  white 
raimeJitP — Rev.  iii.  5. 

WARRIOR  of  the  cross,  fight  on !  Never  rest 
till  thy  victory  is  complete,  for  thine 
eternal  reward  will  prove  worthy  of  a  life  of  warfare. 

See,  here  is  perfect  purity  for  thee !  A  few  in 
Sardis  kept  their  garments  undefiled,  and  their 
recompense  is  to  be  spotless.  Perfect  holiness  is 
the  prize  of  our  high  calling,  let  us  not  miss  it. 

See,  here  is  joy  !  Thou  shalt  wear  holiday  robes, 
such  as  men  put  on  at  wedding  feasts  ;  thou  shalt 
be  clothed  with  gladness,  and  be  made  bright  with 
rejoicing.  Painful  struggles  shall  end  in  peace  of 
conscience,  and  joy  in  the  Lord. 

See,  here  is  victory !  Thou  shalt  have  thy 
triumph.  Palm,  and  crown,  and  white  robe  shall  be 
thy  guerdon  ;  thou  shalt  be  treated  as  a  conqueror, 
and  owned  as  such  by  the  Lord  himself. 

See,  here  is  priestly  array  !  Thou  shalt  stand 
before  the  Lord  in  such  raiment  as  the  sons  of 
Aaron  wore ;  thou  shalt  offer  the  sacrifices  of 
thanksgiving,  and  draw  near  unto  the  Lord  with 
the  incense  of  praise. 

Who  would  not  fight  for  a  Lord  who  gives  such 
large  honours  to  the  very  least  of  his  faithful 
servants  ?  Who  would  not  be  clothed  in  a  fool's  coat 
for  Christ's  sake,  seeing  he  will  robe  us  with  glory  ? 


July  25,  Jfaitlj's  Cljcquc  ISooIt.  207 

^'But  go  thou  thy  7vay  till  the  end  be :  for  thou  shall 
rest,  and  stand    in   thy   lot    at  the  end    of  the  days." 
Dan.  xii.  13. 

WE  cannot  understand  all  the  prophecies,  but 
yet  we  regard  them  with  pleasure,  and  not 
with  dismay.  There  can  be  nothing  in  the  Father's 
decree  which  should  justly  alarm  his  child.  Though 
the  abomination  of  desolation  be  set  up,  yet  the 
true  believer  shall  not  be  defiled  ;  rather  shall  he 
be  purified,  and  made  whit'^',  and  tried.  Though 
the  earth  be  burned  up  no  smell  of  fire  shall  come 
upon  the  chosen.  Amid  the  crash  of  matter,  and 
the  wreck  of  worlds,  the  Lord  Jehovah  will  preserve 
his  own. 

Calmly  resolute  in  duty,  brave  in  conflict,  patient 
in  suffering,  let  us  go  our  way,  keeping  to  our  road, 
and  neither  swerving  from  it  nor  loitering  in  it. 
The  end  will  come  ;  let  us  go  our  way  till  it  does. 

Rest  will  be  ours.  All  other  things  swing  to  and 
fro,  but  our  foundation  standeth  sure.  God  rests 
in  his  love,  and,  therefore,  we  rest  in  it.  Our  peace 
is,  and  ever  shall  be,  like  a  river.  A  lot  in  the 
heavenly  Canaan  is  ours,  and  we  shall  stand  in  it, 
come  what  may.  The  God  of  Daniel  will  give  a 
worthy  portion  to  all  who  dare  to  be  decided  for 
truth  and  holiness  as  Daniel  was.  No  den  of  lions 
shall  deprive  us  of  our  sure  inheritance. 


2o8  iFaitb'a  Cheque  Book.  July  26. 

^'And  it  shall  he  at  that  day,  saith  the  Lord,  that  thou 

sha't  call  me  Ishi ;  and  shalt  call  me  no  fnore  Baali ;  for 

I  will  take  away  the  names  of  Baalim  out  of  her  month, 

and  they  shall  no  tnore  be  remembered  by  their  name.'"' 

Hosea  ii.  i6   17. 

THAT  day  has  come.  We  view  our  God  no 
more  as  Baal,  our  tyrant  lord  and  mighty 
master,  for  we  are  not  under  law,  but  under  grace. 
We  now  think  of  Jehovah,  our  God,  as  our  Ishi, 
our  beloved  husband,  our  lord  in  love,  our  next-of- 
kin  in  bonds  of  sacred  relationship.  We  do  not 
reverence  him  less,  but  we  love  him  more.  We  do 
not  serve  him  less  obediently,  but  we  serve  him  for 
a  higher  and  more  endearing  reason.  We  no  longer 
tremble  under  his  lash,  but  rejoice  in  his  love.  The 
slave  is  changed  into  a  child,  and  the  task  into  a 
pleasure. 

Is  it  so  with  thee,  dear  reader?  Has  grace  cast 
out  slavish  fear  and  implanted  filial  love  ?  How 
happy  are  we  in  such  an  experience  !  Now  we  call 
the  Sabbath  a  delight,  and  worship  is  never  a  weari- 
ness. Prayer  is  now  a  privilege,  and  praise  is  a 
holiday.  To  obey  is  heaven  ;  to  give  to  the  cause 
of  God  is  a  banquet.  Thus  have  all  things  become 
new.  Our  mouth  is  filled  with  singing,  and  our 
heart  with  music.  Blessed  be  our  heavenly  Ishi 
for  ever  and  for  ever. 


jui.Y  27.  jfni'llj's  CTIjcquE  Boof;.  209 

^' I  will  give  you  the  sure  mercies  of  David T—  \c{^  xiii.  34. 

NOTHING  of  man  is  sure  ;  but  everything  of 
God  is  so.  Especially  arc  covenant  mercies 
sure  mercies,  even  as  David  said  "an  everlasting 
covenant,  ordered  in  all  things  and  sure." 

We  are  sure  that  the  Lord  meant  his  mercy.  He 
did  not  speak  mere  words  :  there  is  substance  and 
truth  in  every  one  of  his  promises.  His  mercies  are 
mercies  indeed.  Even  if  a  promise  seems  as  if  it 
must  drop  through  by  reason  of  death,  yet  it  never 
shall,  for  the  good  Lord  will  make  good  his  word. 

We  are  sure  that  the  Lord  will  bestow  promised 
mercies  on  all  his  covenanted  ones.  They  shall 
come  in  due  course  to  all  the  chosen  of  the  Lord. 
They  are  sure  to  all  the  seed,  from  the  least  of  them 
unto  the  greatest  of  them. 

We  are  sure  that  the  Lord  will  continue  his 
mercies  to  his  own  people.  He  does  not  give  and 
take.  What  he  has  granted  us  is  the  token  of  much 
more.  That  which  we  have  not  yet  received  is  as 
sure  as  that  which  has  already  come  ;  therefore,  let 
us  wait  before  the  Lord  and  be  still.  There  is  no 
justifiable  reason  for  the  least  doubt.  God's  love, 
and  word,  and  faithfulness  are  sure.  Many  things 
are  questionable,  but  of  the  Lord  we  sing — 

"  For  his  mercies  shall  endure 
Ever  faithful,  ever  sure." 


2IO  jFaitiys  CTjfque  Boolt.  July  28. 

'''■Humble  yourselves  therefore  under  the  viighty  hand  of 
God,  that  he  may  exalt  you  in  due  iinie." — i  Peter  v.  6. 

THIS  is  tantamount  to  a  promise:  if  we  will 
bow  down,  the  Lord  will  lift  us  up.  Humility 
leads  to  honour :  submission  is  the  way  to  exalta- 
tion. That  same  hand  of  God  which  presses  us 
down  is  waiting  to  raise  us  up  when  we  are  pre- 
pared to  bear  the  blessing.  We  stoop  to  conquer. 
Many  cringe  before  men,  and  yet  miss  the  patron- 
age they  crave  ;  but  he  that  humbles  himself  under 
the  hand  of  God  shall  not  fail  to  be  enriched, 
uplifted,  sustained,  and  comforted  by  the  ever- 
gracious  One.  It  is  a  habit  of  Jehovah  to  cast 
down  the  proud,  and  lift  up  the  lowly. 

Yet  there  is  a  time  for  the  Lord's  working.  We 
ought  now  to  humble  ourselves,  even  at  this  present 
moment ;  and  we  are  bound  to  keep  on  doing  so 
whetVer  the  Lord  lays  his  afflicting  hand  upon  us 
or  not.  When  the  Lord  smites,  it  is  our  special 
duty  to  accept  the  chastisement  with  profound  sub- 
mission. But  as  for  the  Lord's  exaltation  of  us, 
that  can  only  come  "  in  due  time,"  and  God  is  the 
best  judge  of  that  day  and  hour.  Do  we  cry  out 
impatiently  for  the  blessing?  Would  wc  wish  for 
untimely  honour  ?  What  are  we  at .-'  Surely  we 
are  not  truly  humbled,  or  we  should  wait  with  quiet 
submission.     So  let  us  do. 


JUI.Y29.  iFaillj's  (Cljcquc  Booh.  211 


*'  He  hath  cast  out  thine  enemy T — Zeph.  iii.  15- 

WHAT  a  casting  out  was  that!  Satan  has 
lost  his  throne  in  our  nature  even  as  he 
lost  his  scat  in  heaven.  Our  Lord  Jesus  has 
destroyed  the  enemy's  reigning  power  over  us. 
He  may  worry  us,  but  he  cannot  claim  us  as  his 
own.  His  bonds  are  no  longer  upon  our  spirits: 
the  Son  has  made  us  free,  and  we  are  free  indeed. 

Still  is  the  arch-enemy  the  accuser  of  the 
brethren  ;  but  even  from  this  position  our  Lord 
has  driven  him.  Our  advocate  silences  our 
accuser.  The  Lord  rebukes  our  enemies,  and 
pleads  the  causes  of  our  soul,  so  that  no  harm 
comes  of  all  the  devil's  revilings. 

As  a  tempter,  the  evil  spirit  still  assails  us,  and 
insinuates  himself  into  our  minds  ;  but  thence  also 
is  he  cast  out  as  to  his  former  pre-eminence.  He 
wriggles  about  like  a  serpent,  but  he  cannot  rule 
like  a  sovereign.  He  hurls  in  blasphemous 
thoughts  when  he  has  opportunity  ;  but  what  a 
relief  it  is  when  he  is  told  to  be  quiet,  and  is  made 
to  slink  off  like  a  whipped  cur !  Lord,  do  this  for 
any  who  are  at  this  time  worried  and  wearied  by 
his  barkings.  Cast  out  their  enemy,  and  be  thou 
glorious  in  their  eyes.  Thou  hast  cast  him  down, 
Lord  cast  him  out.  Oh  that  thou  wouldst  banish 
him  from  the  world  1 


212  iFafUj's  (Cljeque  Booh.  July  3a 

"/  will  see  you  again,  and  your  heart  shall  rejoice." 
John  xvi.  22. 

SURELY  he  will  come  a  second  time,  and  then, 
when  he  sees  us,  and  we  see  him,  there  will 
be  rejoicings  indeed.     Oh  for  that  joyous  return ! 

But  this  promise  is  being  daily  fulfilled  in 
another  sense.  Our  gracious  Lord  has  many 
"  agains "  in  his  dealings  with  us.  He  gave  us 
pardon,  and  he  sees  us  again,  and  repeats  the 
absolving  word  as  fresh  sins  cause  us  grief  He 
has  revealed  to  us  our  acceptance  before  God,  and 
when  our  faith  in  that  blessing  grows  a  little  dim, 
he  comes  to  us  again  and  again,  and  says,  "  Peace 
be  unto  you  "  ;  and  our  hearts  are  glad. 

Beloved,  all  our  past  mercies  are  tokens  of  future 
mercies.  If  Jesus  has  been  with  us,  he  will  see  us 
again.  Look  upon  no  former  favour  as  a  dead 
and  buried  thing,  to  be  mourned  over ;  but  regard 
it  as  a  seed  sown,  which  will  grow,  and  push  its 
head  up  from  the  dust,  and  cry,  "  I  will  see  you 
again."  Are  the  times  dark  because  Jesus  is  not 
with  us  as  he  used  to  be  ?  Let  us  pluck  up 
courage ;  for  he  will  not  be  long  away.  His  feet 
are  as  those  of  a  roe  or  young  hart,  and  they  will 
soon  bring  him  to  us.  Wherefore  let  us  begin  to 
be  joyous,  since  he  saith  to  us  even  now,  "  I  will 
see  you  again." 


July  31.  iFait!)*3  (Cfjcque  Book  213 

"And  call  upon  tne  in  the  day  of  trouble :  I  will  deliver 
thee,  arid  thou  shall  glorify  nie." — Ps.  1.  15. 

THIS  is  a  promise  indeed  ! 
Here  is  an  urgent  occasion — "the  day  of 
trouble."  It  is  dark  at  noon  on  such  a  day,  and 
every  hour  seems  blacker  than  the  one  which  came 
before  it.  Then  is  this  promise  in  season  :  it  is 
written  for  the  cloudy  day. 

Here  is  condescending  advice,  "call  upon  me." 
We  ought  not  to  need  the  exhortation  :  it  should  be 
our  constant  habit  all  the  day  and  every  day. 
"What  a  mercy  to  have  liberty  to  call  upon  God  ! 
What  wisdom  to  make  good  use  of  it !  How 
foolish  to  go  running  about  to  men  I  The  Lord 
invites  us  to  lay  our  case  before  him,  and  surely 
we  will  not  hesitate  to  do  so. 

Here  is  reassuring  encouragement :  "  I  will  de- 
liver thee."  Whatever  the  trouble  may  be,  the 
Lord  makes  no  exceptions,  but  promises  full,  sure, 
happy  deliverance.  He  will  himself  work  out  our 
deliverance  by  his  own  hand.  We  believe  it,  and 
the  Lord  honours  faith. 

Here  is  an  ultimate  result :  "  Thou  shalt  glorify 
me."  Ah !  that  we  will  do  most  abundantly. 
When  he  has  delivered  us  we  will  loudly  praise 
him  ;  and  as  he  is  sure  to  do  it,  let  us  begin  to 
glorify  him  at  once. 


214  dFaitlj's  Cf)£que  Booft.  Aur,.  i. 

''^ And  I  will  establish  my  co'oenant  behveen  me  ajid  thet 
and  thy  seed  after  thee  in  their  generations  for  an  ever- 
lasting covenant,  to  be  a  God  nnto  thee,  and  to  thy  seed 
after  thee." — Gen.  xvii.  7. 

OLORD,  thou  hast  made  a  covenant  with  me, 
thy  servant,  in  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord  ;  and 
now,  I  beseech  thee,  let  my  children  be  included  in 
its  gracious  provisions.  Permit  me  to  believe  this 
promise  as  made  to  me  as  well  as  to  Abraham.  I 
know  that  my  children  are  born  in  sin,  and  shapen 
in  iniquity,  even  as  those  of  other  men  ;  therefore, 
I  ask  nothing  on  the  ground  of  their  birth,  for  well  I 
know  that  "  that  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh," 
and  nothing  more.  Lord,  make  them  to  be  born 
under  thy  covenant  of  grace  by  thy  Holy  Spirit ! 

I  pray  for  my  descendants  throughout  all  genera- 
tions. Be  thou  their  God  as  thou  art  mine.  My 
highest  honour  is  that  thou  hast  permitted  me  to 
serve  thee  ;  may  my  offspring  serve  thee  in  all  years 
to  come.  O  God  of  Abraham,  be  the  God  of  his 
Isaac  !     O  God  of  Hannah,  accept  her  Samuel ! 

If,  Lord,  thou  hast  favoured  me  in  my  family,  I 
pray  thee  remember  other  households  of  thy  people 
which  remain  unblcst.  Be  the  God  of  all  the 
families  of  Israel.  Let  not  one  of  those  who  fear 
thy  name  be  tried  with  a  godless  and  wicked  house- 
hold, for  thy  Son  Jesus  Christ's  sake.     Amen. 


Aur..  2.  iFnitlj'a  Cfjrque  Bock.  215 

"■A^oiv  therefore  go,  and  I  will  be  with  thy  i/ioiith,  and 
teach  thee  wJiat  thou  shalt  say.'^ — Ex.  iv.  12. 

MANY  a  true  servant  of  the  Lord  is  slow  of 
speech,  and  when  called  upon  to  plead  for 
his  Lord,  he  is  in  great  confusion  lest  he  should 
spoil  a  good  cause  by  his  bad  advocacy.  In  such 
a  case  it  is  well  to  remember  that  the  Lord  made 
the  tongue  which  is  so  slow,  and  we  must  take 
care  that  we  do  not  blame  our  Maker.  It  may  be 
that  a  slow  tongue  is  not  so  great  an  evil  as  a  fast 
one,  and  fewness  ot  words  may  be  more  of  a 
blessing  than  floods  of  verbiage.  It  is  also  quite 
certain  that  real  saving  power  docs  not  lie  in 
human  rhetoric,  with  its  tropes,  and  pretty  phrases, 
and  grand  displays.  Lack  of  fluency  is  not  so 
great  a  lack  as  it  looks. 

If  God  be  with  our  mouth,  and  with  our  mind, 
we  shall  have  something  better  than  the  sounding 
brass  of  eloquence,  or  the  tinkling  cymbal  of  per- 
suasion. God's  teaching  is  wisdom  ;  his  presence  is 
power.  Pharaoh  had  more  reason  to  be  afraid  of 
stammering  Moses  than  of  the  most  fluent  talker 
in  Egypt  ;  for  what  he  said  had  power  in  it  ;  he 
spoke  plagues  and  deaths.  If  the  Lord  be  with  us 
in  our  natural  weakness  we  shall  be  girt  with 
supernatural  power.  Therefore,  let  us  speak  for 
Jesus  boldly,  as  we  ought  to  speak. 


2i6  JFnitb's  Cljeque  Book.  Aug.  3. 

'■^ But  if  the  priest  buy  any  soul  7vith  his  money,  he  shall 
eat  of  it,  and  he  that  is  born  in  his  house :  they  shall  eat 
of  his  meat" — Lev.  xxii.  II. 

STRANGERS,  sojourners,  and  servants  upon 
hire  were  not  to  cat  of  holy  things.  It  is  so 
in  spiritual  matters  still.  But  two  classes  were  free 
at  the  sacred  table,  those  who  were  bought  with 
the  priest's  money,  and  those  who  were  born  into 
the  priest's  house.  Bought  and  born,  these  were 
the  two  indisputable  proofs  of  a  right  to  holy  things. 

Bought.  Our  great  High  Priest  has  bought  with 
a  price  all  those  who  put  their  trust  in  him.  They 
are  his  absolute  property — altogether  the  Lord's. 
Not  for  what  they  are  in  themselves,  but  for  their 
owner's  sake  they  are  admitted  into  the  same 
privileges  which  he  himself  enjoys,  and  "  they  shall 
eat  of  his  meat."  He  has  meat  to  eat  which 
worldlings  know  not  of.  "  Because  ye  belong  to 
Christ,"  therefore  shall  ye  share  with  your  Lord. 

Born.  This  is  an  equally  sure  way  to  privilege  ; 
if  born  in  the  priest's  house  we  take  our  place  with 
the  rest  of  the  family.  Regeneration  makes  us 
fellow-heirs,  and  of  the  same  body  ;  and,  therefore, 
the  peace,  the  joy,  the  glory,  which  the  Father  has 
given  to  Christ,  Christ  has  given  to  us.  Redemp- 
tion and  regeneration  have  giv:?n  us  a  double  claim 
to  the  divine  permit  of  this  promise. 


Aug.  4.  JFaillj's  ^IjcquE  i3ooU.  217 

'■'The  Lord  bless  thee,  and  keep  ///(J^"."— Num.  vi.  24. 

THIS  first  clause  of  the  high-priest's  bcncdictio 
is   sub.stantially  a  promise.      That   blessing 
which  our  great  High  Priest  pronounces  upon  us  is 
sure  to  come,  for  he  speaks  the  mind  of  God. 

What  a  joy  to  abide  under  the  divine  blessing! 
This  puts  a  gracious  flavour  into  all  thing.s.  If  wc 
are  blessed,  then  all  our  possessions  and  enjoyments 
are  blessed  ;  yea,  our  losses  and  cros.scs,  and  even 
our  disappointments  are  blessed.  God's  blessing  is 
deep,  emphatic,  effectual.  A  man's  blessing  may 
begin  and  end  in  words  ;  but  the  blessing  of  the 
Lord  makes  rich  and  sanctifies.  The  best  wish  we 
can  have  for  our  dearest  friend  is  not  "  May  pros- 
perity attend  thee,"  but  "  The  Lord  bless  thee." 

It  is  equally  a  delightful  thing  to  be  kept  of  God  ; 
kept  by  him,  kept  near  him,  kept  in  him.  They 
are  kept  indeed  whom  God  keeps  ;  they  are  pre- 
served from  evil,  they  are  reserved  unto  boundless 
happiness.  God's  keeping  goes  with  his  blessing, 
to  establish  it  and  cause  it  to  endure. 

The  author  of  this  little  book  desires  that  the 
rich  blessing  and  sure  keeping  here  pronounced 
may  come  upon  every  reader  who  may  at  this 
moment  be  looking  at  these  lines.  Should  the 
author  be  living,  please  breathe  the  text  to  God 
as  a  pra\cr  for  his  servant. 


2x8  j?ailf)'3  Cljcquc  BjoIj.  Auo.  5. 

'•'■The  law  of  his  God  is  in  his  heart ;  none  of  his  sL'ps 
shall  slide ^''' — Ps.  xxxvii.  31. 

PUT  the  law  into  the  heart,  and  the  whole  man 
is  right.  This  is  where  the  law  should  be  ; 
for  then  it  lies,  like  the  tables  of  stone  in  the  ark,  in 
the  place  appointed  for  it.  In  the  head  it  puzzles, 
on  the  back  it  burdens,  in  the  heart  it  upholds. 

What  a  choice  word  is  here  used,  "  the  law  of  his 
God  "  !  When  we  know  the  Lord  as  our  own  God 
his  law  becomes  liberty  to  us.  God  with  us  in 
covenant  makes  us  eager  to  obey  his  will  and  walk 
in  his  commands.  Is  the  precept  my  Father's  pre- 
cept ?     Then  I  delight  in  it. 

We  are  here  guaranteed  that  the  obedient-hearted 
man  shall  be  sustained  in  every  step  that  he  takes. 
He  will  do  that  which  is  right,  and  he  shall  there- 
fore do  that  which  is  wise.  Holy  action  is  always 
the  most  prudent,  though  it  may  not  at  the  time 
seem  to  be  so.  We  are  moving  along  the  great 
high  road  of  God's  providence  and  grace  when  we 
keep  to  the  way  of  his  law.  The  Word  of  God  has 
never  misled  a  single  soul  yet ;  its  plain  directions 
to  walk  humbly,  justly,  lovingly,  and  in  the  fear 
of  the  Lord,  are  as  much  words  of  wisdom  to  make 
our  way  prosperous  as  rules  of  holiness  to  keep 
our  garments  clean.  He  walks  surely  who  walks 
righteously. 


Ave.  6.  ifnillj's  Ct'tquc  Boclt.  219 

"Be/.oM,    the  Lord  thy   God  hath   set  the  land  before 
thee  :  go  up  and  possess  it,  as  the  Lord  God  of  thy  fai/urs 
hath   said  unto   thee;  fear  not,  neither  be  discouraged." 
Deut.  i.  21. 

THERE  is  a  heritage  of  grace  which  we  ought 
to  be  bold  enough  to  win  for  our  own  pos- 
session. All  that  one  believer  has  gained  is  free  to 
another.  We  may  be  strong  in  faith,  fervent  in 
love,  and  abundant  in  labour  ;  there  is  nothing  to 
prevent  it  ;  let  us  go  up  and  take  possession.  The 
sweetest  experience  and  the  brightest  grace  are  as 
much  for  us  as  for  any  of  our  brethren.  Jehovah 
has  set  it  before  us ;  no  one  can  deny  our  right ; 
let  us  go  up  and  possess  it  in  his  name. 

The  world  also  lies  before  us  to  be  conquered  for 
the  Lord  Jesus.  We  are  not  to  leave  any  country 
or  corner  of  it  unsubdued.  That  slum  near  our 
house  is  before  us,  not  to  baffle  our  endeavours,  but 
to  yield  to  them.  We  have  only  to  summon 
courage  enough  to  go  forward,  and  we  shall  win 
dark  homes  and  hard  hearts  for  Jesus.  Let  us 
never  leave  the  people  in  a  lane  or  alley  to  die 
because  we  have  not  enough  faith  in  Jesus  and  his 
gospel  to  go  up  and  possess  the  land.  No  spot  is 
too  benighted,  no  person  is  so  profane  as  to  be 
beyond  the  power  of  grace.  Cowardice,  begone ! 
Faith  marches  to  the  conquest. 


2  20  i/afllj'g  (CfjcquE  BiDoIt.  Aug.  7. 

'"'■Only  be  tJiou  strong  and  very  courageous,  that  thou 
wayest  observe  to  do  according  to  all  the  law,  7vhick  Moses 
jay  servant  commafided  thee  :  turti  not  from  it  to  the  right 
hand  or  to  the  left,  that  thou  tnayest  prosper  tuhithersoever 
thou  goest." — ^josh.  i.  7. 

YES,  the  Lord  will  be  with  us  in  our  holy  war, 
but  he  demands  of  us  that  we  strictly  follow 
his  rules.  Our  victories  will  very  much  depend 
upon  our  obeying  him  zvit/i  all  our  heart,  throwing 
strength  and  courage  into  the  actions  of  our  faith. 
If  v/e  are  half-hearted  we  cannot  expect  more  than 
half  a  blessing. 

We  must  obey  the  Lord  zuith  care  aJtd  tJionght- 
fulness.  "  Observe  to  do  "  is  the  phrase  used,  and 
it  is  full  of  meaning.  This  is  referred  to  every  part 
of  the  divine  will  ;  we  must  obey  zuit/i  universal 
readiness.  Our  rule  of  conduct  is  "  according  to 
all  the  law."  We  may  not  pick  and  choose,  but 
we  must  take  the  Lord's  commands  as  they  come, 
one  and  all.  \\\  all  this  we  must  go  on  zvith  exact- 
ness and  constancy.  Ours  is  to  be  a  straightforward 
course,  which  bends  neither  to  the  right  nor  to  the 
left.  We  are  not  to  err  by  being  more  rigid  than  the 
law,  nor  turn  out  of  levity  to  a  more  free  and  easy 
way.  With  such  obedience  there  will  come  spiritual 
prosperity.  O  Lord,  help  us  to  see  if  it  be  not  even 
so !     \A'^e  shall  not  test  thy  promise  in  vain. 


Aug.  8.  5'Utl)'s  Cljcque  15ocft.  2-?! 


''The  Lord  God  will  help  w^."— Isa.  1.  7. 

THESE  are  in  prophecy  the  words  of  Messiah 
in  the  day  of  his  obedience  unto  death,  when 
he  gave  his  back  to  the  smitcrs,  and  his  checks  to 
them  that  phicked  off  the  hair.  He  was  confident 
in  divine  support,  and  trusted  in  Jehovah. 

O  my  soul,  thy  sorrows  are  as  the  small  dust  of 
the  balance  compared  with  thy  Lord's!  Canst  thou 
not  believe  that  the  Lord  God  will  help  thee? 
Thy  Lord  was  in  a  peculiar  position  ;  for  as  the  re- 
presentative of  sinful  men — their  substitute  and 
sacrifice — it  was  needful  that  the  Father  should 
leave  him,  and  cause  him  to  come  under  desertion 
of  soul.  No  such  necessity  is  laid  upon  thee  :  thou 
art  not  bound  to  cry,  "  Why  hast  thou  forsaken 
me?"  Did  thy  Saviour  even  in  such  a  case  still 
rely  upon  God,  and  canst  not  thou  ?  He  died  for 
thee,  and  thus  made  it  impossible  that  thou  shouldst 
be  left  alone  ;  wherefore,  be  of  good  cheer. 

In  this  day's  laboursor  trials  .say,  "The  Lord  God 
will  help  me."  Go  forth  boldly.  Set  your  face 
like  a  flint,  and  resolve  that  no  faintness  or  shame- 
facedness  shall  come  near  you.  If  God  helps,  who 
can  hinder?  If  you  are  sure  of  omnipotent  aid, 
what  can  be  too  heavy  for  you?  Begin  the  day 
joyously,  and  let  no  shade  of  doubt  come  between 
thee  and  the  eternal  sunshine. 


222  jfaitlj's  ©Ijcqiie  Uook.  Aug.  9. 

''Every  branch  in  me  that  beareth  not  ftuit  he  take'h 
aivay  :  and  every  branch  that  beareth  fruit,  he  piirgdh  it, 
that  it  may  bring  forth  more  friiitP — John  xv.  2. 

THIS  is  a  precious  promise  to  one  who  lives 
for  fruitfulness.  At  first  it  seems  to  wear  a 
sharp  aspect.  Must  the  fruitful  bough  be  pruned  ? 
Must  the  knife  cut  ev-en  the  best  and  most  use- 
ful ?  No  doubt  it  is  so,  for  very  much  of  our  Lord's 
purging  work  is  done  by  means  of  afflictions  of  one 
kind  or  another.  It  is  not  the  evil  but  the  good 
who  have  the  promise  of  tribulation  in  this  life. 
But,  then,  the  end  makes  more  than  full  amends  for 
the  painful  nature  of  the  means.  If  we  may  bring 
forth  more  fruit  for  our  Lord,  we  will  not  mind  the 
pruning  and  the  loss  of  leafage. 

Still,  purging  is  sometimes  wrought  by  the  Word 
apart  from  trial,  and  this  takes  away  whatever 
appeared  rough  in  the  flavour  of  the  promise.  We 
shall  by  the  Word  be  made  more  gracious  and 
more  useful.  The  Lord,  who  has  made  us,  in  a 
measure,  fruit-bearing,  will  operate  upon  us  till  we 
reach  a  far  higher  degree  of  fertility.  Is  not  this 
a  great  joy  ?  Truly  there  is  more  comfort  in  a 
promise  of  fruitfulness  than  if  we  had  been 
warranted  riches,  or  health,  or  honour. 

Lord  Jesus,  speedily  fulfil  thy  gracious  word  to 
me,  and  cause  me  to  abound  in  fruit  to  thy  praise  1 


Auo.  lo.  JF.u'tlj's  Cbcquc  Bach.  223 

"77/^  Lord  inaketh  poor,  and  maketh  rich:  he  brin^eih 
loiv,  and  lifUth  upT — i  Sam.  ii.  7. 

ALL  my  changes  come  from  him  who  never 
changes.  If  I  had  grown  rich,  I  should  have 
seen  his  hand  in  it,  and  I  should  have  praised  him ; 
let  me  equally  see  his  hand  if  I  am  made  poor,  and 
let  me  as  heartily  praise  him.  When  we  go  down 
in  the  world,  it  is  of  the  Lord,  and  so  we  may  take 
it  patiently  :  when  we  rise  in  the  world,  it  is  of  the 
Lord,  and  we  may  accept  it  thankfully.  In  any 
case,  the  Lord  hath  done  it,  and  it  is  well. 

It  seems  that  Jehovah's  way  is  to  lower  those 
whom  he  means  to  raise,  and  to  strip  those  whom 
he  intends  to  clothe.  If  it  is  his  way,  it  is  the 
wisest  and  best  way.  If  I  am  now  enduring  the 
bringing  low  I  may  well  rejoice,  because  I  see  in  it 
the  preface  to  the  lifting  up.  The  more  we  are 
humbled  by  grace,  the  more  we  shall  be  exalted 
in  glory.  That  impoverishment  which  will  be  over- 
ruled for  our  enrichment  is  to  be  welcomed. 

O  Lord,  thou  hast  taken  me  down  of  late,  and 
made  me  feel  my  insignificance  and  sin.  It  is  not 
a  pleasant  experience,  but  I  pray  thee  make  it  a 
profitable  one  to  me.  Oh,  that  thou  wouldst  thus 
fit  me  to  bear  a  greater  weight  of  delight  and  of 
usefulness  ;  and  when  I  am  ready  for  it,  then  grant 
it  to  uie,  for  Christ's  sake  !     Amen. 


224  JFaitlj's  erfjfqut  Book  Aug.  ii. 

^^  Truly  my  soul  waiteth  upon  God :  from  him  comet h 
my  salvation.''' — Ps.  Ixii.  i. 

BLESSED  posture! — waiting  truly  and  only 
upon  the  Lord.  Be  this  our  condition  all 
this  day,  and  every  day.  Waiting  his  leisure, 
waiting  in  his  service,  waiting  in  joyful  expecta- 
tion, waiting  in  prayer,  and  content.  When  the 
very  soul  thus  waits,  it  is  in  the  best  and  truest 
condition  of  a  creature  before  his  Creator,  a  ser- 
vant before  his  Master,  a  child  before  his  Father. 
We  allow  no  dictation  to  God,  nor  complaining  of 
him  ;  we  will  permit  no  petulance,  and  no  distrust. 
At  the  same  time,  we  practise  rto  running  before 
the  cloud,  and  no  seeking  to  others  for  aid :  neither 
of  these  would  be  waiting  upon  God.  God,  and 
God  alone,  is  the  expectation  of  our  hearts. 

Blessed  assurance!— from  him  salvation iscoming; 
it  is  on  the  road.  It  will  come  from  him,  and  from 
no  one  else.  He  shall  have  all  the  glory  of  it,  for 
he  alone  can  and  will  perform  it.  And  he  will 
perform  it  most  surely  in  his  own  time  and  manner. 
He  will  save  from  doubt,  and  suffering,  and  slander, 
and  distress.  Though  we  see  no  sign  of  it  as  yet, 
we  are  satisfied  to  bide  the  Lord's  will,  for  we  have 
no  suspicion  of  his  love  and  faithfulness.  He  will 
make  sure  work  of  it  before  long,  and  we  will  praise 
him  at  once  for  the  coming  mercy. 


Aug.  12.  iFaitlj'g  €I)fqu£  Boolt.  225 

'^For  thou  art  my  lamp,  0  Lord :  atid  the  Lord  will 
lighten  my  darknes$y — 2  Sam.  xxii.  29. 

AM  I  in  the  light?  Then  thou,  O  Lord,  art  my 
lamp.  Take  thee  away,  and  my  joy  would 
be  gone ;  but  as  long  as  thou  art  with  me,  I  can 
do  without  the  torches  of  time  and  the  candles  of 
created  comfort.  What  a  light  the  presence  of 
God  casts  on  all  things  !  We  heard  of  a  lighthouse 
which  could  be  seen  for  twenty  miles,  but  our 
Jehovah  is  not  only  a  God  at  hand,  but  far  off  is 
he  seen,  even  in  the  enemy's  country.  O  Lord, 
I  am  as  happy  as  an  angel  when  thy  love  fills  my 
heart     Thou  art  all  my  desire. 

Am  I  in  the  dark?  Then  thou,  O  Lord,  wilt 
lighten  my  darkness.  Before  long  things  will 
change.  Affairs  may  grow  more  and  more  dreary, 
and  cloud  may  be  piled  upon  cloud  ;  but  if  it 
grows  so  dark  that  I  cannot  see  my  own  hand, 
still  I  shall  see  the  hand  of  the  Lord.  When  I 
cannot  find  a  light  within  me,  or  among  my 
friends,  or  in  the  whole  world,  the  Lord,  who  said 
"  Let  there  be  light,"  and  there  was  light,  can  say 
the  same  again.  He  will  speak  me  into  the  sun- 
shine yet.  I  shall  not  die,  but  live.  The  day  is 
already  breaking.  This  sweet  text  shines  like  a 
morning  star.  I  shall  clap  my  hands  for  joy  ere 
many  hours  are  passed. 

15 


226  iFaillj'ss  CIjfquE  Baoh.  Aug.  13. 

"//  shall  come  to  pass,  thai  before   they    call,   I  will 
a'isiuer ;  and  while  they  are  yet  speaking,   1  will  hear." 
Isa.  Ixv.  24. 

OUICK  work  this!  The  Lord  hears  us  before 
we  call ;  and  often  answers  us  in  the  same 
speedy  manner.  Foreseeing  our  needs,  and  our 
prayers,  he  so  arranges  providence  that  before  the 
need  actually  arises  he  has  supplied  it,  before  the 
trial  assails  us  he  has  armed  us  against  it.  This 
is  the  promptitude  of  omniscience,  and  we  have 
often  seen  it  exercised.  Before  we  dreamed  of  the 
affliction  which  was  coming,  the  strong  consolation 
which  was  to  sustain  us  under  it  had  arrived. 
What  a  prayer-answering  God  we  have ! 

The  second  clause  suggests  the  telephone. 
Though  God  be  in  heaven  and  we  upon  earth,  yet 
he  makes  our  word,  like  his  own  word,  to  travel 
very  swiftly.  When  we  pray  aright  we  speak  into 
the  ear  of  God.  Our  gracious  Mediator  presents 
our  petitions  at  once,  and  the  great  Father  hears 
them  and  smiles  upon  them.  Grand  praying  this ! 
Who  would  not  be  much  in  prayer  when  he  knows 
that  he  has  the  ear  of  the  King  of  kings  ?  This 
day  I  will  pray  in  faith,  not  only  believing  that  I 
shall  be  heard,  but  that  I  am  heard  ;  not  only  that 
I  shall  be  answered,  but  that  I  have  the  answer 
already.     Holy  Spirit,  help  me  in  this  I 


Aug.  14.  5aitl)'s  Cljcquc  13aoh.  827 

^'^  And  I  will  for  this  aj/l.ct  the  seed  0/  David,  but  not 
for  ever.'' — i  Kings  xi.  39. 

IN  the  family  of  grace  there  is  discipline,  and 
that  discipline  is  severe  enough  to  make  it  an 
evil  and  a  bitter  thing  to  sin.  Solomon,  turned 
aside  by  his  foreign  wives,  had  set  up  other  gods, 
and  grievously  provoked  the  God  of  his  father; 
therefore,  ten  parts  out  of  twelve  of  the  king- 
dom were  rent  away,  and  set  up  as  a  rival  state. 
This  was  a  sore  affliction  to  the  house  of  David, 
and  it  came  upon  that  dynasty  distinctly  from  the 
hand  of  God,  as  the  result  of  unholy  conduct.  The 
Lord  will  chasten  his  best  beloved  servants  if  they 
cease  from  full  obedience  to  his  laws :  perhaps  at 
this  very  hour  such  chastening  is  upon  us.  Let  us 
humbly  cry,  "  O  Lord,  show  me  wherefore  thou 
contendest  with  me." 

What  a  sweet  saving  clause  is  that — "  but  not  for 
ever"!  The  punishment  of  sin  is  everlasting,  but 
the  fatherly  chastisement  of  it  in  a  child  of  God  is 
but  for  a  season.  The  sickness,  the  poverty,  the 
depression  of  spirit,  will  pass  away  when  they  have 
had  their  intended  effect.  Remember,  we  are  not 
under  law,  but  under  grace.  The  rod  may  make 
us  smart,  but  the  sword  shall  not  make  us  die.  Our 
present  grief  is  meant  to  bring  us  to  repentance, 
that  wc  may  not  be  destroyed  with  the  wicked. 


2  28  5aitlj*0  CTIjcqiic  BjoU.  Aug.  15. 

^^And  whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  my  name,  that  will 
J  do,    that  the    Father   may   be  glorified  in    tJu   Son." 
John  xiv.  13. 

IT  is  not  every  believer  who  has  yet  learned  to 
pray  in  Christ's  name.  To  ask  not  otily  for 
his  sake,  but  in  his  name,  as  authorized  by  biiv^  is 
a  high  order  of  prayer.  We  would  not  dare  if>  ask 
for  some  things  in  that  blessed  name,  for  it  would 
be  a  wretched  profanation  of  it  ;  but  when  the 
petition  is  so  clearly  right  that  we  dare  set  the 
name  of  Jesus  to  it,  then  it  must  be  granted. 

Prayer  is  all  the  more  sure  to  succeed  because 
it  is  for  the  Father's  glory  through  the  Son.  It 
glorifies  his  truth,  his  faithfulness,  his  power,  his 
grace.  The  granting  of  prayer,  when  offered  in 
the  name  of  Jesus,  reveals  the  Father's  love  to 
him,  and  the  honour  which  he  has  put  upon  him. 
The  glory  of  Jesus  and  of  the  Father  are  so 
wrapped  up  together,  that  the  grace  which  magnifies 
the  one  magnifies  the  other.  The  channel  is  made 
famous  through  the  fulness  of  the  fountain,  and  the 
fountain  is  honoured  through  the  channel  by  which 
it  flows.  If  the  answering  of  our  prayers  would 
dishonour  our  Lord,  we  would  not  pray ;  but  since 
in  this  thing  he  is  glorified,  we  will  pray  without 
ceasing  in  that  dear  name  in  which  God  and  his 
people  have  a  fellowship  of  delight. 


Ai'G.  16.  jFaitlj's  (Cheque  Bjolt.  329 

*'//(f    that  covcreth    his   sins   shall  vot  prosper :    but 
whoso   confcsseth  atid  forsaketh   them  shall  have   vurcy." 
i'lov.  xxviii.  13. 

IT  ERE  is  the  way  of  mercy  for  a  guilty  and 
X  repenting  sinner.  He  must  cease  from  the 
habit  of  covering  sin.  This  is  attempted  by  false- 
hood, which  denies  sin  ;  by  hypocrisy,  which 
conceals  it ;  by  boasting,  which  justifies  it ;  and  by 
loud  profession,  which  tries  to  mak'c  amends  for  it. 

The  sinner's  business  is  to  confess  and  forsake. 
The  two  must  go  together.  Confession  must  be 
honestly  made  to  the  Lord  himself;  and  it  must 
include  within  itself  acknowledgment  of  the  wrong, 
sense  of  its  evil,  and  abhorrence  of  it.  We  must 
not  throw  the  fault  upon  others,  nor  blame  circum- 
stances, nor  plead  natural  weakness.  We  must  make 
a  clean  breast  of  it,  and  plead  guilty  to  the  indict- 
ment.    There  can  be  no  mercy  till  this  is  done. 

Furthermore,  we  must  forsake  the  evil :  having 
owned  our  fault,  we  must  disown  all  present  and 
future  intent  to  abide  in  it.  We  cannot  remain  in 
rebellion  and  yet  dwell  with  the  King's  Majesty. 
The  habit  of  evil  must  be  quitted,  together  with 
all  places,  companions,  pursuits,  and  books,  which 
might  lead  us  astray.  'Hoi  for  confession,  nor  for 
reformation,  but  in  connection  with  them  we  find 
pardon  by  faith  in  the  blood  of  Jesus. 


230  iTnitlj's  Cljrquc  13ooIt.  Aug.  17. 

"And  he  answered^  Fear  not :  for  iJiey  that  be  zuith  us 
ere  more  than  they  t/iat  be  with  them."'' — 2  Kino-s  vi.  16. 

HORSES  and  chariots,  and  a  great  host,  shut 
up  the  prophet  in  Dothan.  His  )'oung 
servant  was  alarmed.  How  could  they  escape  from 
such  a  body  of  armed  men  ?  But  the  prophet  had 
eyes  which  his  servant  had  not,  and  he  could  see  a 
greater  host  with  far  superior  weapons  guarding 
him  from  all  harm.  Horses  of  fire  are  mightier 
than  horses  of  flesh,  and  chariots  of  fire  are  far 
preferable  to  chariots  of  iron. 

Even  so  is  it  at  this  hour.  The  adversaries  of 
truth  are  many,  influential,  learned,  and  crafty  ; 
and  truth  fares  ill  at  their  hands  ;  and  yet  the  man 
of  God  has  no  cause  for  trepidation.  Agencies, 
seen  and  unseen,  of  the  most  potent  kind,  are  on 
the  side  of  righteousness.  God  has  armies  in 
ambush  which  will  reveal  themselves  in  the  hour  of 
need.  The  forces  which  are  on  the  side  of  the 
good  and  the  true  far  outweigh  the  powers  of  evil. 
Therefore,  let  us  keep  our  spirits  up,  and  walk 
with  the  gait  of  men  who  possess  a  cheering  secret, 
which  has  lifted  them  above  all  fear.  We  are  on 
the  winning  side.  The  battle  may  be  sharp,  but 
we  know  how  it  will  end.  Faith,  having  God  with 
her,  is  in  a  clear  majority  :  "  They  that  be  with  us 
are  more  than  they  that  be  with  them." 


Aug.  i8.  jFaitlj's  Cljfque  Book.  231 

^'' If  thou  seek  him,  he  ivill  he  found  of.  hre. " —  i  Chion.  xxviii.  9. 

WE  need  our  God  ;  he  is  to  be  had  for  the 
scckin<^  ;  and  he  will  not  deny  himself  to 
any  one  of  us  if  we  personally  seek  his  face.  It  is 
not,  if  thou  deserve  him,  or  purchase  his  favour,  but 
merely  if  thou  "seek"  him.  Those  who  already 
know  the  Lord  must  go  on  seeking  his  face  by 
pra)'er,  by  diligent  service,  and  by  holy  gratitude: 
to  such  he  will  not  refuse  his  favour  and  fellowship. 
Those  who,  as  yet,  have  not  known  him  to  their 
souls'  rest  should  at  once  commence  seeking,  and 
never  cease  till  they  find  him  as  their  Saviour,  their 
Friend,  their  Father,  and  their  God. 

What  strong  assurance  this  promise  gives  to  the 
seeker !  "  He  that  seeketh  findeth."  You,  yes 
jfO/i,  if  you  seek  your  God  shall  find  him.  When 
you  find  him  you  have  found  life,  pardon,  sancti- 
fication,  preservation,  and  glory.  Will  you  not 
seek,  and  seek  on,  since  you  shall  not  seek  in  vain  ? 
Dear  friend,  seek  the  Lord  at  once.  Here  is  the 
place,  and  now  is  the  time.  Bend  that  stiff  knee  ; 
yes,  bend  that  stiffer  neck,  and  cry  out  for  God,  for 
the  living  God.  In  the  name  of  Jesus  seek  cleans- 
ing and  justification.  You  shall  not  be  refused. 
Here  is  David's  testimony  to  his  son  Solomon,  and 
it  is  the  writer's  personal  witness  to  the  reader. 
Believe  it  and  act  upon  it,  for  Christ's  sake. 


232  Jaillj's  (Cljcquc  Ijoolt.  Aui-..  19. 


"^<?  that  a  man  shall  say,  Virily  there  is  a  rnaord /of 
the  righteous:  verily  he  is  a  God  that  judgeth  in  the  earth." 
Ps.  Iviii.  1 1. 


GOD'S  judgments  in  this  life  are  not  always 
clearly  to  be  seen,  for  in  many  cases  one 
event  happeneth  alike  to  all.  This  is  the  state 
of  probation,  not  of  punishment  or  reward.  Yet 
at  times  God  works  terrible  things  in  righteousness, 
and  even  the  careless  are  compelled  to  own  his  hand. 

Even  in  this  life  righteousness  has  that  kind  of 
reward  which  it  prefers  above  all  others,  namely, 
the  smile  of  God,  which  creates  a  quiet  conscience. 
Sometimes  other  recompenses  follow,  for  God  will 
be  in  no  man's  debt.  But,  at  the  same  time,  the 
chief  reward  of  the  righteous  lies  in  the  hereafter. 

Meanwhile,  on  a  large  scale,  we  mark  the  pre- 
sence of  the  great  Ruler  among  the  nations.  He 
breaks  in  pieces  oppressive  thrones,  and  punishes 
guilty  peoples.  No  one  can  study  the  history  of 
the  rise  and  fall  of  empires  without  perceiving  that 
there  is  a  power  which  makes  for  righteousness, 
and,  in  the  end,  brings  iniquity  before  its  bar,  and 
condemns  it  with  unsparing  justice.  Sin  shall  not 
go  unpunished,  and  goodness  shall  not  remain 
unrewarded.  The  Judge  of  all  the  earth  must  do 
right.  Therefore,  let  us  fear  before  him,  and  no 
more  dread  the  power  of  the  wicked. 


Aug.  20.  iFaitIj'3  Cljfquf  Boclft.  233 

^^He  shall  deliver  thee  in  six  troubles :  yea,  in  seven  there 
shall  no  et>il  touch  thee^ — Job  v.  19. 

ELIPHAZ  in  this  spoke  the  truth  of  God. 
We  may  have  as  many  troubles  as  the 
work-days  of  the  week,  but  tlie  God  who  worked 
on  those  six  days  will  work  for  us  till  our  deliver- 
ance is  complete.  We  shall  rest  with  him,  and  in 
him  on  our  Sabbath.  The  rapid  succession  of 
trials  is  one  of  the  sorest  tests  of  faith.  Before  we 
have  recovered  from  one  blow,  it  is  followed  by 
another  and  another  till  we  are  staggered.  Still, 
the  equally  quick  succession  of  deliverances  is  ex- 
ceedingly cheering.  New  songs  are  rung  out  upon 
the  anvil  by  the  hammer  of  affliction,  till  we  see 
in  the  spiritual  world  the  antitype-  of  "  the  Har- 
monious Blacksmith."  Our  confidence  is,  that 
when  the  Lord  makes  our  trials  six,  six  they  will 
be,  and  no  more. 

It  may  be  that  we  have  no  rest-day,  for  snmi 
troubles  come  upon  us.  What  then  .''  "  In  seven 
there  shall  no  evil  touch  thee."  Evil  may  roar  at 
us,  but  it  shall  be  kept  at  more  than  arm's  length, 
and  shall  not  even  touch  us.  Its  hot  breath  may 
distress  us,  but  its  little  finger  cannot  be  laid  upon  us. 

With  our  loins  girt  about  us  we  will  meet  the  six 
or  the  seven  troubles,  and  leave  fear  to  those  who 
have  no  Father,  no  Saviour,  and  no  Sanctifier. 


234  iFai't^'s  CI)fqur  Baolt.  Aug.  21. 

"/v?r  Ids  anger  endiireth  but  a  moment ;  in  his  favour 
is  life :  weeping  may  endure  for  a  night,  but  joy  cometh  in 
the  mornifig'"—  Ps.  xxx.  5. 

A  MOMENT  under  our  Father's  anger  seems 
very  long,  and  yet  it  is  but  a  moment  after 
all.  If  we  grieve  his  Spirit  we  cannot  look  for  his 
smile  ;  but  he  is  a  God  ready  to  pardon,  and  he 
soon  puts  aside  all  remembrance  of  our  faults. 
When  we  faint  and  are  ready  to  die  because  of  his 
frown,  his  favour  puts  new  life  into  us. 

This  verse  has  another  note  of  the  semi-quaver 
kind.  Our  weeping  night  soon  turns  into  joyous 
day.  Brevity  is  the  mark  of  mercy  in  the  hour  of 
the  chastisement  of  believers.  The  Lord  loves  not 
to  use  the  rod  on  his  chosen  ;  he  gives  a  blow  or 
two,  and  all  is  over  ;  yea,  and  the  life  and  the  joy, 
which  follow  the  anger  and  the  weeping,  more  than 
make  amends  for  the  salutary  sorrow. 

Come,  my  heart,  begin  thy  hallelujahs !  Weep 
not  all  through  the  night,  but  wipe  thine  eyes  in 
anticipation  of  the  morning.  These  tears  are  dews 
which  mean  us  as  much  good  as  the  sunbeams  of 
the  morrow.  Tears  clear  the  eyes  for  the  sight  of 
God  in  his  grace  ;  and  make  the  vision  of  his  favour 
more  precious.  A  night  of  sorrow  supplies  those 
shades  of  the  picture  by  which  the  high  lights  are 
brought  out  with  distinctness.     All  is  well. 


Aug.  22.  5'iiilj'i3  Cljcquc  13ocIt.  235 

^^ Surely  the  uirath  of  man  slia'l  praise  t/ur :  tht 
remainder  of  wrath  shall  t'lcu  restrain." — rs.  Ix.wi.  10. 

WICKED  men  will  be  wrathful.  Their  anger 
we  must  endure  as  the  badge  of  our 
calling,  the  token  of  our  separation  from  them  : 
if  we  were  of  the  world  the  world  would  love  its 
own.  Our  comfort  is  that  the  wrath  of  man  shall 
be  made  to  redound  to  the  glory  of  God.  When 
in  their  wrath  the  wicked  crucified  the  Son  of  God 
they  were  unwittingly  fulfilling  the  divine  purpose, 
and  in  a  thousand  cases  the  wilfulness  of  the  un- 
godly is  doing  the  same.  They  think  themselves 
free,  but  like  convicts  in  chains  they  are  uncon- 
sciously working  out  the  decrees  of  the  Almighty. 

The  devices  of  the  wicked  are  overruled  for  their 
defeat.  They  act  in  a  suicidal  way,  and  baffle  their 
own  plottings.  Nothing  will  come  of  their  wrath 
which  can  do  us  real  harm.  When  they  burned 
the  martyrs  the  smoke  which  blew  from  the  stake 
sickened  men  of  Popery  more  than  anything  else. 

Meanwhile,  the  Lord  has  a  muzzle  and  a  chain 
for  bears.  He  restrains  the  more  furious  wrath  of 
the  enemy.  He  is  like  a  miller  who  holds  back  the 
mass  of  the  water  in  the  stream,  and  what  he  does 
allow  to  flow  he  uses  for  the  turning  of  his  wheel. 
Let  us  not  sigh,  but  sing.  All  is  well,  however 
hard  the  wind  blows. 


236  J)Faitf)'s  Cfjeque  Baolt.  Aug.  23. 

''/  love  them  that  love  mc  ;  and  those  that  seek  me  early 
shall  find  w^." — Prov.  viii.  17. 

WISDOM  loves  her  lovers,  and  seeks  her 
seekers.  He  is  already  wise  who  seeks  to 
be  wise,  and  he  has  almost  found  wisdom  who  dili- 
gently seeks  her.  What  is  true  of  wisdom  in  general 
is  specially  true  of  w^isdom  embodied  in  our  Lord 
Jesus.  Him  we  are  to  love  and  to  seek,  and  in 
return  we  shall  enjoy  his  love,  and  find  himself 

Our  business  is  to  seek  Jesus  early  in  life, 
Happy  are  the  young  whose  morning  is  spent  with 
Jesus  !  It  is  never  too  soon  to  seek  the  Lord  Jesus. 
Early  seekers  make  certain  finders.  We  should 
seek  him  early  by  diligence.  Thriving  tradesmen  are 
early  risers,  and  thriving  saints  seek  Jesus  eagerly. 
Those  who  find  Jesus  to  their  enrichment  give 
their  hearts  to  seeking  him.  We  must  seek  him 
first,  and  thus  earliest.  Above  all  things  Jesus. 
Jesus  first,  and  nothing  else  even  as  a  bad  second. 

The  blessing  is  that  he  will  be  found.  He  reveals 
himself  more  and  more  clearly  to  our  search.  He 
gives  himself  up  more  fully  to  our  fellowship. 
Happy  men  who  seek  one  who,  when  he  is  found, 
remains  with  them  for  ever,  a  treasure  growingly 
precious  to  their  hearts  and  understandings. 

Lord  Jesus,  I  have  found  thee  ;  be  found  of  me 
to  an  unutterable  degree  of  joyous  satisfaction. 


AiG.  24.  iFaitb*^  Clji-quc  Dooh.  237 

*\7or  it  is  wi  iltcn,  I  will  destroy  tlw  zvisdom  0/  the  7cise, 
and  will  bring  to  nothing  the  understanduig  of  the 
prudent:' — I  Cor.  i.  19. 

THIS  verse  is  a  threatening  so  far  as  the  worldly- 
wise  are  concerned,  but  to  the  simple  believer 
it  is  a  promise.  The  professedly  learned  are  for  ever 
trying  to  bring  to  nothing  the  faith  of  the  humble 
believer,  but  they  fail  in  their  attempts.  Their 
arguments  break  down,  their  theories  fall  under 
their  own  weight,  their  deep-laid  plots  discover 
themselves  before  their  purpose  is  accomplished. 
The  old  gospel  is  not  extinct  yet,  nor  will  it  be 
while  the  Lord  livcth.  If  it  could  have  been  ex- 
terminated it  would  have  perished  from  off  the 
earth  long  ago. 

Wc  cannot  destroy  the  wisdom  of  the  wise,  nor 
need  we  attempt  it,  for  the  work  is  in  far  better 
hands.  The  Lord  himself  says,  "  I  will,"  and  he 
nc\er  resolves  in  vain.  Twice  does  he  in  this  verse 
declare  his  purpose,  and  we  may  rest  assured  that 
he  will  not  turn  aside  from  it. 

What  clean  work  the  Lord  makes  of  philosophy 
and  "modern  thought"  when  he  puts  his  hand  to 
it !  He  brings  the  fine  appearance  down  to  nothing  ; 
he  utterly  destroys  the  wood,  hay,  and  stubble.  It 
is  written  that  so  it  shall  be,  and  so  shall  it  be. 
Lord,  make  short  work  of  it.     Amen,  and  Amen. 


23S  J;aiti)'5  (CijcquE  Boolt.  Aug.  25. 

'■'■  I  will  feed  my  flock,  arid  I  will  cause  them  to  lie  doia:i, 
saith  the  Lord  God." — Ezek.  xxxiv.  15. 

UNDER  the  divine  shepherdry  saints  are  fed  to 
the  full.  Theirs  is  not  a  windy,  unsatisfying 
mess  of  mere  human  "  thought "  ;  but  the  Lord  feeds 
them  upon  the  solid,  substantial  truth  of  divine 
revelation.  There  is  real  nutriment  for  the  soul 
in  Scripture  brought  home  to  the  heart  by  the 
Holy  Spirit.  Jesus,  himself,  is  the  true  life-sus- 
taining food  of  believers.  Here  our  Great  Shepherd 
promises  that  such  sacred  nourishment  shall  be 
given  us  by  his  own  self  If,  on  the  Sabbath,  our 
earthly  shepherd  is  empty-handed,  the  Lord  is  not. 

When  filled  with  holy  truth  the  mind  rests. 
Those  whom  Jehovah  feeds  are  at  peace.  No  dog 
shall  worry  them,  no  wolf  shall  devour  them,  no 
restless  propensities  shall  disturb  them.  They 
shall  lie  down  and  digest  the  food  which  they  have 
enjoyed.  The  doctrines  of  grace  are  not  only 
sustaining,  but  consoling :  in  them  we  have  the 
means  for  building  up  and  lying  down.  If 
preachers  do  not  give  us  rest,  let  us  look  to  the 
Lord  for  it. 

This  day  may  the  Lord  cause  us  to  feed  in  the 
pastures  of  the  Word,  and  make  us  to  lie  down  in 
them.  May  no  folly,  and  no  worry,  but  Meditation 
and  Peace  mark  this  day. 


Aug.  26.  JJ^aiUj's  Cljcquc  Book  239 

**I  will  Judge  behveen  cattle  and  cattle^ — Ezek.  xxxiv.  22. 

SO^IE  are  fat  and  flourishing,  and  therefore 
they  are  unkind  to  the  feeble.  This  is  a 
grievous  sin,  and  causes  much  sorrow.  Those 
tln-ustings  with  side  and  with  shoulder,  those 
pu3hings  of  the  diseased  with  the  horn,  are  a 
sad  means  of  offence  in  the  assemblies  of  pro- 
fessing believers.  The  Lord  takes  note  of  these 
proud  and  unkind  deeds,  and  he  is  greatly  angered 
by  them,  for  he  loves  the  weak. 

Is  the  reader  one  of  the  despised  ?  Is  he  a 
mourner  in  Zion,  and  a  marked  man  because  of  his 
tender  conscience  ?  Do  his  brethren  judge  him 
harshly?  Let  him  not  resent  their  conduct  ;  above 
all,  let  him  not  push  and  thrust  in  return.  Let  him 
leave  the  matter  in  the  Lord's  hands.  He  is  the 
Judge.  Why  should  we  wish  to  intrude  upon  his 
office?  He  will  decide  much  more  righteously 
than  we  can.  His  time  for  judgment  is  the  best, 
and  we  need  not  be  in  a  hurry  to  hasten  it  on. 

Let  the  hard-hearted  oppressor  tremble.  Exen 
though  he  may  ride  rough-shod  over  others  with 
impunity  for  the  present,  all  his  proud  speeches  are 
noted,  and  for  every  one  of  them  account  must  be 
given  before  the  bar  of  the  Great  Judge. 

Patience,  my  soul !  Patience  !  the  Lord  knoweth 
th/  grief.     Thy  Jesus  hath  pity  upon  thee  I 


240  iFaitlj's  Cljcquc  ISooh.  Aug.  27. 


"/  )iave  chosen   tJve  in  the  furnace  of  affliction," 
Isa.  xlviii.   lo. 


THIS  has  long  been  the  motto  fixed  before  our 
eye  upon  the  wall  of  our  bed-chamber,  and 
in  many  ways  it  has  also  been  written  on  our 
heart.  It  is  no  mean  thing  to  be  chosen  of  God. 
God's  choice  makes  chosen  men  choice  men. 
Better  to  be  the  elect  of  God  than  the  elect  of  a 
whole  nation.  So  eminent  is  this  privilege,  that 
■whatever  drawback  may  be  joined  to  it  we  very 
joyfully  accept  it,  even  as  the  Jew  ate  the  bitter 
herbs  for  the  sake  of  the  Paschal  Lamb.  We 
choose  the  furnace,  since  God  chooses  us  in  it. 

We  are  chosen  as  an  afflicted  people,  and  not  as 
a  prosperous  people,  chosen  not  in  the  palace,  but 
in  the  furnace.  In  the  furnace  beauty  is  marred, 
fashion  is  destroyed,  strength  is  melted,  glory  is 
consumed,  and  yet  here  eternal  love  reveals  its 
secrets,  and  declares  its  choice.  So  has  iit  been 
in  our  case.  In  times  of  severest  trial  God  has  made 
to  us  our  calling  and  election  plain,and  we  have  made 
it  sure  :  then  have  we  chosen  the  Lord  to  be  our 
God,  and  he  has  shown  that  v/e  are  assuredly  his 
chosen.  Therefore,  if  to-day  the  furnace  be  heated 
seven  times  hotter,  we  will  not  dread  it,  for  the 
glorious  Son  of  God  will  walk  with  us  amid  the 
glowing  coals. 


Aug.  28.  JFaitli's  Cljrquc  Baolt.  241 

'■'■As  for  me^  I  will  call  upon  God;  and  the  Lord  shall 
save  file." — Ps.  Iv.  16. 

YES,  I  must  and  will  pray.  What  else  can  I 
do?  What  better  can  I  do?  Betrayed, 
forsaken,  grieved,  baffled,  O  my  Lord,  I  will  call 
upon  thee.  My  Ziklag  is  in  ashes,  and  men  speak 
of  stoning  me ;  but  I  encourage  my  heart  in  the 
Lord,  who  will  bear  me  through  this  trial  as  he 
has  borne  me  through  so  many  others.  Jehovah 
shall  save  me ;  I  am  sure  he  will,  and  I  declare  my 
faith. 

The  Lord  and  no  one  else  shall  save  me.  I 
desire  no  other  helper,  and  would  not  trust  in  an 
arm  of  flesh  even  if  I  could.  I  will  cry  to  him 
evening,  and  morning,  and  noon,  and  I  will  cry  to 
no  one  else,  for  he  is  All-sufficient. 

How  he  will  save  me  I  cannot  guess;  but  he  will 

do  it,  I  know.     He  will  do  it  in  the  best  and  surest 

way,  and  he  will  do  it  in   the  largest,  truest,  and 

fullest  sense.     Out  of  this  trouble  and   all   future 

troubles  the  great  I  AM  will  bring  me  as  surely 

as  he  lives  ;    and  when  death  comes,  and  all  the 

mysteries  of  eternity  follow  thereon,  still  will  this 

be  true:   '^ l/ie  Lord  shall  save  me"     This  shall  be 

my  song  all  through  this  autumn  day.     Is  it  not  as 

a  ripe  apple  from  the  tree  of  life?     I  will  feed  upon 

it.     How  sweet  it  is  to  my  taste  I 

x6 


2^2  iraillj's  (irijcquE  Booft.  Aug.  29. 

'''Their  soul  shall  be  as  a  ivatered garden^ — ^jer.  xxxi.  12. 

OH,  to  have  one's  soul  under  heavenly  cultiva- 
tion ;  no  longer  a  wilderness,  but  a  garden  of 
the  Lord!  Enclosed  from  the  waste,  walled  around 
by  grace,  planted  by  instruction,  visited  by  love, 
weeded  by  heavenly  discipline,  and  guarded  by 
divine  power,  one's  favoured  soul  is  prepared  to 
yield  fruit  unto  the  Lord. 

But  a  garden  may  become  parched  for  want  of 
water,  and  then  all  its  herbs  decline,  and  are  ready 
to  die.  O  my  soul,  how  soon  would  this  be  the 
case  were  the  Lord  to  leave  thee !  In  the  East,  a 
garden  without  water  soon  ceases  to  be  a  garden 
at  all :  nothing  can  come  to  perfection,  grow,  or 
even  live.  When  irrigation  is  kept  up,  the  result 
is  charming.  Oh,  to  have  one's  soul  watered  by 
the  Holy  Spirit  uniformly — every  part  of  the  garden 
having  its  own  stream  ;  plentifully — a  sufficient 
refreshment  coming  to  every  tree  and  herb,  how- 
ever thirsty  by  nature  it  may  be  ;  continually — 
each  hour  bringing  not  only  its  heat,  but  its 
refreshment ;  wisely — each  plant  receiving  just 
what  it  needs.  In  a  garden  you  can  see  by  the 
verdure  where  the  water  flows,  and  you  can  soon 
perceive  when  the  Spirit  of  God  comes. 

O  Lord,  water  me  this  day,  and  cause  me  to 
yield  thee  a  full  reward,  for  Jesus'  sake.     Amen. 


Aug.  3a  JFaiifj's  CljcquE  BocU.  243 

"AU/ioiigh  my  house  be  not  so  -with  God ;  yet  he  hoth 
made  ivith  me  an  everlastmg  covenant,  ordered  in  all  thifigs, 
and  sure :  for  this  is  all  my  salvation,  and  all  my  desire, 
a/though  he  make  it  not  to  gro'U'." — 2  Sam.  xxiii.  5. 

THIS  is  not  so  much  one  promise  as  an  agfrre- 
gate  of  promises — a  box  of  pearls.  Tlie 
covenant  is  tlie  ark  which  contains  all  things. 

These  are  the  last  words  of  David,  but  they  may- 
be mine  to-day.  Here  is  a  sigh :  things  are  not 
with  me  and  mine  as  I  could  wish;  there  are  trials, 
cares,  and  sins.     These  make  the  pillow  hard. 

Here  is  a  solace — "  He  hath  made  with  me  an 
everlasting  covenant."  Jehovah  has  pledged  him- 
self to  me,  and  sealed  the  compact  with  the  blood 
of  Jesus.    I  am  bound  to  my  God,  and  my  God  to  me. 

This  brings  into  prominence  a  seairity,  since  this 
covenant  is  everlasting,  well  ordered  and  sure. 
There  is  nothing  to  fear  from  the  lapse  of  time, 
the  failure  of  some  forgotten  point,  or  the  natural 
uncertainty  of  things.  The  covenant  is  a  rocky 
foundation  to  build  on  for  life  or  for  death. 

David  feels  satisfaction :  he  wants  no  more  for 
salvation  or  delectation.  He  is  delivered,  and  he  is 
delighted.     The  covenant  is  all  a  man  can  desire. 

O  my  soul,  turn  thou  this  day  to  thy  Lord  Jesus, 
whom  the  great  Lord  has  given  to  be  a  covenant 
to  the  people.     Take  him  to  be  thine  all  in  all. 


244  iFattlj'3  CTijcque  Booh.  Aug.  31. 

"j5///  the  word  of  the  Lord  endiireth  for  ever.     And  this 
is  the  word  which  by  the  gospd  is  pnached  unto  you." 
I  Pet.  i.  25. 

ALL  human  teaching  and,  indeed,  all  human 
beings,  shall  pass  away  as  the  grass  of  the 
meadow  ;  but  we  are  here  assured  that  the  word  of 
the  Lord  is  of  a  very  different  character,  for  it  shall 
endure  for  ever. 

We  have  here  a  divine  gospel ;  for  what  word  can 
endure  for  ever  but  that  which  is  spoken  by  the 
eternal  God  ? 

We  have  here  an  ever-livijig  gospel,  as  full  of 
vitality  as  when  it  first  came  from  the  lip  of  God  ; 
as  strong  to  convince  and  convert,  to  regenerate 
and  console,  to  sustain  and  sanctify,  as  ever  it  was 
in  its  first  days  of  wonder-working. 

We  have  an  unchanging  gospel,  which  is  not  to- 
day green  grass,  and  to-morrow  dry  hay;  but  always 
the  abiding  truth  of  the  immutable  Jehovah. 
Opinions  alter,  but  truth  certified  by  God  can 
no  more  change  than  the  God  who  uttered  it. 

Here,  then,  we  have  a  gospel  to  rejoice  in,  a  word 
of  the  Lord  upon  which  we  may  lean  all  our 
weight,  "For  ever"  includes  life,  death,  judg- 
ment, and  eternity.  Glory  be  to  God  in  Christ 
Jesus  for  everlasting  consolation.  Feed  on  the 
word  to-day,  and  all  the  days  of  thy  life. 


SriT.  I.  Jai'llj's  Cfjfqiic  BDoIt.  245 

^''If  ye  keep  my  covimandmaUs,  ye  shall  abide  in  my 
love.'' — John  XV.  10. 

THESE  things  cannot  be  parted — abiding  in 
obedience,  and  abiding  in  the  love  of  Jesus. 
A  h'fe  under  the  rule  of  Christ  can  alone  prove 
that  we  are  the  objects  of  our  Lord's  delight.  VVe 
must  keep  our  Lord's  command  if  we  would  bask 
in  his  love.  If  we  live  in  sin  we  cannot  li\-e  in  the 
love  of  Christ.  Without  the  holiness  which  pleases 
God,  we  cannot  please  Jesus.  He  who  cares  nothing 
for  holiness  knows  nothing  of  the  love  of  Jesus. 

Conscious  enjoyment  of  our  Lord's  love  is  a 
delicate  thing.  It  is  far  more  sensitive  to  sin  and 
holiness  than  mercury  is  to  cold  and  heat.  When 
we  are  tender  of  heart,  and  careful  in  thought,  lip, 
and  life  to  honour  our  Lord  Jesus,  then  we  receive 
tokens  of  his  love  without  number.  If  we  desire  to 
perpetuate  such  bliss  we  must  perpetuate  hoh'ness. 
The  Lord  Jesus  will  not  hide  his  face  from  us  unless 
we  hide  our  face  from  him.  Sin  makes  the  cloud 
which  darkens  our  Sun  :  if  we  will  be  watchfully 
obedient  and  completely  con.'^ecrated,  wc  may  walk 
in  the  light,  as  God  is  in  the  light,  and  have  as  sure 
an  abiding  in  the  love  of  Jesus  as  Jesus  has  in  the 
love  of  the  Father.  Here  is  a  sweet  promise  with  a 
solemn  "if"  Lord,  let  me  have  this  "if"  in  my 
hand  ,-,  for  as  a  key  it  opens  this  casket. 


246  jTaitlj's  Cljcque  Book.  Sept.  2. 

'''Then  shall  7ve  know,  if  we  follow  on  to  knoiv  the 
Lord." — Hos.  vi.  3. 

NOT  all  at  once,  but  by  degrees  shall  we  attain 
to  holy  knowledge,  and  our  business  is  to 
persevere  and  learn  by  little  and  little.  We  need 
not  despair,  though  our  progress  may  be  slow,  for 
we  shall  yet  know.  The  Lord,  who  has  become  our 
teacher,  will  not  give  us  up,  however  slow  of  under- 
standing we  may  be  ;  for  it  is  not  for  his  honour 
that  any  degree  of  human  folly  should  baffle  his 
skill.     The  Lord  delights  to  make  the  simple  wise. 

Our  duty  is  to  keep  to  our  main  topic,  and  follow 
on  to  know,  not  this  peculiar  doctrine  nor  that,  but 
Jehovah  himself  To  know  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit, 
the  Triune  God,  this  is  life  eternal :  let  us  keep  to 
this,  for  in  this  way  we  shall  gain  complete  instruc- 
tion. By  following  on  to  know  the  Lord,  we  learn 
healing  after  being  torn,  binding  up  after  smiting, 
and  life  after  death.  Experience  has  its  perfect 
work  when  the  heart  follows  the  trackway  of  the 
Almighty  Lord. 

My  soul,  keep  thou  close  to  Jesus,  follow  on  to 
know  God  in  Jesus,  and  so  shalt  thou  come  to  the 
knowledge  of  Christ,  which  is  the  most  excellent  of 
^11  the  sciences.  The  Holy  Ghost  will  lead  th^e 
mto  all  truth.  Is  not  this  his  gracious  office? 
Rely  upon  him  to  fulfil  it. 


Sq  T.  3.  iFaitb's  (Cfjfqiie  13oo!t.  247 


^^  And  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord,  when  I  have 
opened  your  graves,  O  my  people,  and  brought  you  up  out 
0/ your  graves."" — Ezek.  xxxvii,  13. 

INDEED  it  must  be  so :  those  who  receive  Hfe 
from  the  dead  are  sure  to  recognize  the  hand 
of  the  Lord  in  such  a  resurrection.  This  is  the 
greatest  and  most  remarkable  of  all  changes  that  a 
man  can  undergo — to  be  brought  out  of  the  grave 
of  spiritual  death,  and  made  to  rejoice  in  the  light 
and  liberty  of  spiritual  life.  None  could  work  this 
but  the  living  God,  the  Lord  and  giver  of  life. 

Ah  me  !  how  well  do  I  remember  when  I  was 
lying  in  the  valley  full  of  dry  bones,  as  dry  as 
any  of  them!  Blessed  was  the  day  when  free  and 
sovereign  grace  sent  the  man  of  God  to  prophesy 
upon  me  !  Glory  be  to  God  for  the  stirring  which 
that  word  of  faith  caused  among  the  dry  bones. 
More  blessed  still  was  that  heavenly  breath  from 
the  four  winds  which  made  me  live!  Now  know  I 
the  quickening  Spirit  of  the  ever-living  Jehovah. 
Truly  Jehovah  is  the  living  God,  for  he  made  me 
live.  My  new  life  even  in  its  pinings  and  sorrowings 
is  clear  proof  to  me  that  the  Lord  can  kill  and  make 
alive,  lie  is  the  only  God.  He  is  all  that  is  great, 
gracious,  and  glorious,  and  my  quickened  soul 
adores  him  as  the  great  I  AM.  All  glory  be  unto 
hii'  sacred  name  !   As  long  as  I  li .  e  I  will  praise  him. 


248  iFaitlj'g  Cheque  13ao1t.  Sept.  4. 

"7?///  /  luill  have  mercy  upon  the  house  of  Judah,  and 
ivill  save  them  by  the  Lord  their  God,  and  will  not  save 
them  by  bo7c\  nor  by  sword,  nor  by  battle,  by  horses,  nor  by 
horsemen'' — Hosea  i.  7. 

PRECIOUS  word  !  Jehovah  himself  will  deliver 
his  people  in  the  greatness  of  his  mercy,  but 
he  will  not  do  it  by  the  ordinary  means.  Men  are 
slow  to  render  to  God  the  glory  due  unto  his  name. 
If  they  go  to  battle  with  sword  and  bow,  and  win 
the  victory,  they  ought  to  praise  their  God;  yet 
they  do  not,  but  begin  to  magnify  their  own  right 
arm,  and  glory  in  their  horses  and  horsemen.  For 
this  reason  our  Jehovah  often  determines  to  save 
his  people  without  second  means,  that  all  the 
honour  may  be  to  himself  alone. 

Look,  then,  my  heart,  to  the  Lord  alone,  and  not 
to  man.  Expect  to  see  God  all  the  more  clearly 
when  there  is  no  one  else  to  look  to.  If  I  have  no 
friend,  no  adviser,  no  one  at  my  back,  let  me  be 
none  the  less  confident  if  I  can  feel  that  the  Lord 
himself  is  on  my  side  ;  yea,  let  me  be  glad  if  he 
gives  victory  without  battle,  as  the  text  seems  to 
impl)^  Why  do  I  ask  for  horses  and  horsemen  if 
Jehovah  himself  has  mercy  upon  me,  and  lifts  up 
his  arm  for  my  defence  .■*  Why  need  I  bow  or 
sword  if  God  will  save  ?  Let  me  trust,  and  not  be 
afraid,  from  this  day  forth  and  for  evermore.  Amen. 


Sept.  5.  jFnillj's  Cficquc  Boolt.  249 

"77/^  Lord  will  he  with  yoii.'' — 2  Chron.  xx.  17. 

THIS  was  a  great  mercy  for  Jehoshapliat,  for  a 
great  multitude  had  come  out  against  him  ; 
and  it  will  be  a  great  mercy  for  me,  for  I  have 
great  need,  and  I  have  no  might  or  wisdom.  If 
the  Lord  be  with  me,  it  matters  little  who  may 
desert  me.  If  the  Lord  be  with  me,  I  shall  conquer 
in  the  battle  of  life,  and  the  greater  my  trials  the 
more  glorious  will  be  my  victory.  How  can  I  be 
sure  that  the  Lord  is  with  me  ? 

For  certain  he  is  with  me  if  I  am  with  him.  If 
I  trust  in  his  faithfulness,  believe  his  words,  and 
obey  his  commands,  he  is  assuredly  with  me.  If  I 
am  on  Satan's  side  God  is  against  me,  and  cannot 
be  otherwise  ;  but  if  I  live  to  honour  God  I  may 
be  sure  that  he  will  honour  me. 

I  am  quite  sure  that  God  is  with  me  if  Jesus  is 
my  sole  and  only  Saviour.  If  I  have  placed  my 
soul  in  the  hands  of  God's  Only-begotten  Son,  then 
I  may  be  sure  that  the  Father  will  put  forth  all  his 
power  to  preserve  me,  that  his  Son  may  not  be 
dishonoured. 

Oh  for  faith  to  take  hold  upon  the  short  but 
sweet  text  for  to-day!  O  Lord,  fulfil  this  word 
to  thy  servant !  Be  with  me  in  the  house,  in  the 
street,  in  the  field,  in  the  shop,  in  company,  and 
alone.     Be  thou  also  with  all  thy  people. 


250  if aitVs  Cljcqiie  Bjclt.  Sept.  6. 

"  ^VaU  on  the  Lord :  be  of  good  courage,  and  he  shall 
strengthen    thine    heart:    wait,    I   say,   on    the    Lord." 
Ps.  xxvii.  14. 

WAIT  !  Wait !  Let  your  waiting  be  on  the 
Lord !  He  is  worth  waiting  for.  He 
never  disappoints  the  waiting  soul. 

While  waiting  keep  up  your  spirits.  Expect  a 
great  deliverance,  and  be  ready  to  praise  God  for  it. 

The  promise  which  should  cheer  you  is  in  the 
middle  of  the  verse — "  He  shall  strengthen  thine 
heart."  This  goes  at  once  to  the  place  where  you 
need  help.  If  the  heart  be  sound,  all  the  rest  of  the 
system  will  work  well.  The  heart  wants  calming 
and  cheering  ;  and  both  of  these  will  come  if  it  be 
strengthened.  A  lorceful  heart  rests  and  rejoices, 
and  throbs  force  into  the  whole  man. 

No  one  else  can  get  at  that  secret  urn  of  life,  the 
heart,  so  as  to  pour  i  .rength  into  it.  He  alone 
who  made  it  can  make  it  strong.  God  is  full  of 
strength,  and,  therefore,  he  can  impart  it  to  those 
who  need  it.  Oh,  be  brave  ;  for  the  Lord  will  impart 
his  strength  to  you,  and  you  shall  be  calm  in 
tempest,  and  glad  in  sorrow. 

He  who  penned  these  lines  can  write  as  David 
did — "  Wait,  /  say,  on  the  Lord."  I  do,  indeed, 
say  it.  I  know  by  long  and  deep  experience  that 
it  is  good  for  me  to  wait  upon  the  Lord. 


Sept   7.  Jaftlj's  €f)cqiic  Book.  a$i 

"//  s/iaU  come  to  pass,  that  in  the  place  7fhcre  it  7vas 
said  unto  them.  Ye  are  tiot  my  people,  there  it  shall  be  said 
unto  them.  Ye  are  the  sons  of  the  living  God." — Hcscai.  lo. 

SOVEREIGN  grace  can  make  strangers  into 
sons,  and  the  Lord  here  declares  his  purpose 
to  deal  thus  with  rebels,  and  make  them  know 
what  he  has  done.  Beloved  reader,  the  Lord  has 
done  this  in  my  case  ;  has  he  done  the  like  for 
you  ?  Then  let  us  join  hands  and  hearts  in 
praising  his  adorable  name. 

Some  of  us  were  so  decidedly  ungodly  that  the 
Lord's  Word  most  truly  said  to  our  conscience 
and  heart,  "  Ye  are  not  my  people."  In  the  house 
of  God,  and  in  our  own  homes,  when  we  read  the 
Bible,  this  was  the  voice  of  God's  Spirit  in  our  soul, 
"  Ye  are  not  my  people."  Truly  a  sad  condemning 
voice  it  was.  But  now,  in  the  same  places,  from 
the  same  ministry  and  Scripture,  we  hear  a  voice, 
which  saith,  "  Ye  are  the  sons  of  the  Hving  God." 
Can  we  be  grateful  enough  for  this  .^  Is  it  not 
wonderful  ?  Does  it  not  give  us  hope  for  others  ? 
Who  is  beyond  the  reach  of  almighty  grace  .-'  How 
can  we  despair  of  any,  since  the  Lord  has  wrought 
so  marvellous  a  change  in  us  ? 

He  who  has  kept  this  one  great  promise  will 
keep  every  other ;  wherefore,  let  us  go  forward 
with  songs  of  adoration  and  confidence. 


252  iFai'tlj's  djrquc  53ook.  Sept.  8. 

'M  bruised  reed  shall  he  not  break,  and  the  smoking  flax 
shall  he  not  quench." — is.  xlii.  3. 

THEN  I  may  reckon  upon  tender  treatment 
from  my  Lord.  Indeed,  I  feel  myself  to 
be  at  best  as  weak,  as  pliant,  as  worthless  as  a 
reed.  Someone  said,  "  I  don't  care  a  rush  for 
you";  and  the  speech,  though  unkind,  was  not 
untrue.  Alas !  I  am  worse  than  a  reed  when  it 
grows  by  the  river,  for  that  at  least  can  hold  up  its 
head.  I  am  bruised,  sorely,  sadly  bruised.  There 
is  no  music  in  me  now  ;  there  is  a  rift  which  lets 
out  all  the  melody.  Ah,  me !  Yet  Jesus  will  not 
break  me  ;  and  if  he  will  not,  then  I  mind  little 
what  others  try  to  do.  O  sweet  and  compassionate 
Lord,  I  nestle  down  beneath  thy  protection,  and 
forget  my  bruises  ! 

Truly  I  am  also  fit  to  be  likened  to  "  the  smoking 
flax,"  whose  light  is  gone,  and  only  its  smoke 
remains.  I  fear  I  am  rather  a  nuisance  than  a  benefit. 
My  fears  tell  me  that  the  devil  has  blown  out  my 
light,  and  left  me  an  obnoxious  smoke,  and  that  my 
Lord  will  soon  put  an  extinguisher  upon  me.  Yet 
I  perceive  that  though  there  were  snuffers  under  the 
law,  there  were  no  extinguishers  ;  and  Jesus  will  not 
quench  me;  therefore,  I  am  hopeful.  Lord,  kindle 
me  anew,  and  cause  me  to  shine  forth  to  thy 
glor)',  and  to  the  extolling  of  thy  tenderness. 


Sept.  9-  Jaitlj's  Cljcquc  13cclt.  253 

*^I/af>py  is  the  man  that  feareth  alicniy.'' — Piov.  xxviii.  14. 

THE  fear  of  the  Lord  is  the  beginninfr  and  the 
foundation  of  all  true  religion.  Without  a 
solemn  awe  and  reverence  of  God  there  is  no  foot- 
hold for  the  more  brilliant  virtues.  He  whose  soul 
does  not  worship  will  never  live  in  holiness. 

He  is  happy  who  feels  a  jealous  fear  of  doing 
wrong.  Holy  fear  looks  not  only  before  it  leaps, 
but  even  before  it  moves.  It  is  afraid  of  error, 
afraid  of  neglecting  duty,  afraid  of  committing  sin. 
It  fears  ill  company,  loose  talk,  and  questionable 
policy.  This  does  not  make  a  man  wretched,  but 
it  brings  him  happiness.  The  watchful  sentinel  is 
happier  than  the  soldier  who  sleeps  at  his  post. 
He  who  foreseeth  evil  and  escapes  it  is  happier 
than  he  who  walks  carelessly  on  and  is  destroyed. 

Fear  of  God  is  a  quiet  grace  which  leads  a  man 
along  a  choice  road,  of  which  it  is  written,  "  No 
lion  shall  be  there,  neither  shall  any  ravenous  beast 
go  up  thereon."  Fear  of  the  very  appearance  of 
evil  is  a  purifying  principle,  which  enables  a  man, 
through  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  keep  his 
garments  unspotted  from  the  world.  In  both 
senses  he  that  "feareth  alway"  is  made  happy. 
Solomon  had  tried  both  worldliness  and  holy  fear : 
in  the  one  he  found  vanity,  in  the  other  hapj)iness. 
Let  Ui  not  repeat  his  trial,  but  abide  by  his  verdict. 


254  JFaitb'3  €fjequ£  J3ook.  Sept.  io. 

"Blessed  shaft  thou  be  when  thou  contest  in,  and  blessed 
skalt  thou  be  ^vhen  thou  goest  out.'" — Deut.  xxviii.  6. 

THE  blessings  of  the  law  are  not  cancelled. 
Jesus  confirmed  the  promise  when  he  bore 
the  penalty.  If  I  keep  the  commands  of  my  Lord, 
I  may  appropriate  this  promise  without  question. 

This  day  I  will  come  in  to  my  house  without  fear 
of  evil  tidings,  and  I  will  come  into  my  closet 
expecting  to  hear  good  news  from  my  Lord.  I 
will  not  be  afraid  to  come  in  unto  myself  by  self- 
examination,  nor  to  come  in  to  my  affairs  by  a 
diligent  inspection  of  my  business.  I  have  a  good 
deal  of  work  to  do  indoors,  within  my  own  soul  ; 
oh  for  a  blessing  upon  it  all,  the  blessing  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  who  has  promised  to  abide  with  me. 

I  must  also  go  out.  Timidity  makes  me  wish  that 
I  could  stay  within  doors,  and  never  go  into  the 
sinful  world  again.  But  I  must  go  out  in  my  calling, 
and  I  must  go  out  that  I  may  be  helpful  to  my 
brethren,  and  useful  to  the  ungodly.  I  must  be  a 
defender  of  the  faith  and  an  assailant  of  evil.  Oh 
for  a  blessing  upon  my  going  out  this  day !  Lord, 
let  me  go  where  thou  leadest,  on  thy  errands,  under 
thy  command,  and  in  the  power  of  thy  Spirit. 

Lord  Jesus,  turn  in  with  me  and  be  my  guest  ; 
and  then  walk  out  with  me,  and  cause  my  heart  to 
burn  whilst  thou  speakest  with  me  by  the  way. 


Sept.  ii.  JFaitf)'s  (E^b'flHf  33ooh.  155 


**//  is  good  for  (.  man  that  he  bear  the  yoke  ifi  his  youth" 
Lam.  iii.  27. 

THIS  is  as  good  as  a  promise.  It  has  been 
good,  it  is  good,  and  it  will  be  good  for  mc 
to  bear  the  yoke. 

Early  in  life  I  had  to  feel  the  weight  of  convic- 
tion, and  ever  since  it  has  proved  a  soul-enriching 
burden.  Should  I  have  loved  the  gospel  so  well 
had  I  not  learned  by  deep  experience  the  need  of 
salvation  by  grace  ?  Jabez  was  more  honourable 
than  his  brethren  because  his  mother  bare  him  with 
sorrow,  and  those  who  suffer  much  in  being  born 
unto  God  make  strong  believers  in  sovereign  grace. 

The  yoke  of  censure  is  an  irksome  one,  but  it  pre- 
pares a  man  for  future  honour.  lie  is  not  fit  to  be 
a  leader  who  has  not  run  the  gauntlet  of  contempt. 
Praise  intoxicates  if  it  be  not  preceded  by  abuse. 
Men  who  rise  to  eminence  without  a  struggle 
usually  fall  into  dishonour. 

The  yoke  of  affliction,  disappointment,  and 
excessive  labour  is  by  no  means  to  be  sought  for  ; 
but  when  the  Lord  lays  it  on  us  in  our  youth  it 
frequently  develops  a  character  which  glorifies 
God  and  blesses  the  church. 

Come,  my  soul,  bow  thy  neck  ;  take  up  thy  cross. 
It  was  goc  d  for  thee  when  young,  it  will  not  hann 
thee  now.     For  Jesus'  sake,  shoulder  it  cheerfully. 


256  i?aitij's  Cljcquc  13cioIt.  Sept.  12. 

'■'■Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be 
saved,  and  thy  housed — Acts  xvi.  31. 

THIS  gospel  for  a  man  with  a  sword  at  his 
throat,  is  the  gospel  for  me.  This  would 
suit  me  if  I  were  dying,  and  it  is  all  that  I  need 
while  I  am  living.  I  look  away  from  self,  and  sin, 
and  all  idea  of  personal  merit,  and  I  trust  the 
Lord  Jesus  as  the  Saviour  whom  God  has  given. 
I  believe  in  him,  I  rest  on  him,  I  accept  him  to  be 
my  all  in  all.  Lord,  I  am  saved,  and  I  shall  be 
saved  to  all  eternity,  for  I  believe  in  Jesus.  Blessed 
be  thy  name  for  this.  May  I  daily  prove  by  my  life 
that  I  am  saved  from  selfishness,  and  worldliness, 
and  every  form  of  evil. 

But  those  last  words  about  my  "  house  "  :  Lord,  I 
would  not  run  away  with  half  a  promise  when  thou 
dost  give  a  whole  one.  I  beseech  thee,  save  all  my 
family.  Save  the  nearest  and  dearest.  Convert 
the  children,  and  the  grandchildren,  if  I  have  any. 
Be  gracious  to  my  servants,  and  all  who  dwell 
under  my  roof,  or  work  for  me.  Thou  makest  this 
promise  to  me  personally  if  I  believe  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  ;  I  beseech  thee  to  do  as  thou  hast  said. 

I  would  go  over  in  my  prayer  every  day  the 
names  of  all  my  brothers  and  sisters,  parents, 
children,  friends,  relatives,  servants,  and  give  thee 
no  rest  till  that  word  is  fulfilled,  "  and  thy  house." 


Skpt.  13.  Jait{)'0  Cljcquc  Book.  257 

"■His  heavens  shall  drop  down  ^/rrc/."— Deut.  xxxiii.  28. 

WHAT  the  dew  in  the  East  is  to  the  world  of 
nature,  that  is  the  influence  of  the  Spirit  in 
the  realnm  of  grace.  How  greatly  do  I  need  it ! 
Without  the  Spirit  of  God  I  am  a  dry  and  withered 
thing.  I  droop,  I  fade,  I  die.  How  sweetly  does 
this  dew  refresh  me !  When  once  favoured  with 
it  I  feel  happy,  lively,  vigorous,  elevated.  I  want 
nothing  more.  The  Holy  Spirit  brings  me  life,  and 
all  that  life  requires.  All  else  without  the  dew  of 
the  Spirit  is  less  than  nothing  to  me :  I  hear,  I  read, 
I  pray,  I  sing,  I  go  to  the  table  of  communion,  and 
I  find  no  blessing  there  until  the  Holy  Ghost  visits 
me.  But  when  he  bedews  me,  every  means  of 
grace  is  sweet  and  profitable. 

What  a  promise  is  this  for  me  !  "  His  heavens 
shall  drop  down  dew."  I  shall  be  visited  with 
grace.  I  shall  not  be  left  to  my  natural  drought, 
or  to  the  world's  burning  heat,  or  to  the  sirocco 
of  Satanic  temptation.  Oh,  that  I  may  at  this  very 
hour  feel  the  gentle,  silent,  saturating  dew  of  the 
Lord!  Why  should  I  not?  He  who  has  made 
me  to  live  as  the  grass  lives  in  the  meadow,  will 
treat  me  as  he  treats  the  grass  :  he  will  refresh  me 
from  above.  Grass  cannot  call  for  dew  as  I  do. 
Surely,  the  Lord  who  visits  the  unpraying  plant 
will  answer  to  his  pleading  child. 

17 


258  jFaillj's  Cljcque  Boolt.  Sept.  14. 

'■'■Blessed  is  the  man  that  endureth  temptation :  for  when 
he  is  tried,  he  shall  receive  the  crown  of  life,  which  tin 
Lord  hath  promised  to  them  that  love  himr — ^james  i.  12. 

"\ /ES,  he  is  blessed  while  he  is  enduring  the  trial. 
Jl  No  eye  can  see  this  till  it  has  been  anointed 
with  heavenly  eye-salve.  But  he  must  endure  it,  and 
neither  rebel  against  God,  nor  turn  aside  from  his 
integrity.  He  is  blessed  who  has  gone  through  the 
fire,  and  has  not  been  consumed  as  a  counterfeit. 

When  the  test  is  over,  then  comes  the  hall-mark 
of  divine  approval — "  the  crown  of  life."  As  if  the 
Lord  said,  "  Let  him  live  ;  he  has  been  weighed 
in  the  balances,  and  he  is  not  found  wanting."  Life 
is  the  reward  :  not  mere  being  ;  but  holy,  happy, 
true  existence,  the  realization  of  the  divine  purpose 
concerning  us.  Already  a  higher  form  of  spiritual 
life  and  enjoyment  crowns  those  who  have  safely 
passed  through  fiercest  trials  of  faith  and  love. 

The  Lord  hath  promised  the  crown  of  life  to 
those  whc  love  him.  Only  lovers  of  the  Lord  will 
hold  out  in  the  hour  of  trial ;  the  rest  will  either 
smk,  or  sulk,  or  slink  back  to  the  world.  Come, 
my  heart,  dost  thou  love  thy  Lord  ?  Truly } 
Deeply?  Wholly?  Then  that  love  will  be  tried; 
but  many  waters  will  not  quench  it,  neither  will 
the  floods  drown  it.  Lord,  let  thy  love  nourish 
mine  to  the  end. 


Sept.  i$.  jTaitb'0  SIjfqUE  Boolt.  459 


^'And  a  man  shall  be  as  an  hidlng-p'acefiom  the  wind, 
and  a  covert  from  the  tempest.'' — isa.  xxxii.  2. 

WHO  this  MAN  is  wc  all  know.  Who  could 
he  be  but  the  Second  Man,  the  Lord  from 
heaven,  the  Man  of  sorrows,  the  Son  of  man  ?  What 
a  hiding-place  he  has  been  to  his  people  !  He  bears 
the  full  force  of  the  wind  himself,  and  so  he  shelters 
those  who  hide  themselves  in  him.  We  have  thus 
escaped  the  wrath  of  God,  and  we  shall  thus  escape 
the  anger  of  men,  the  cares  of  this  life,  and  the 
dread  of  death.  Why  do  we  stand  in  the  wind 
when  we  may  so  readily  and  so  surely  get  out  of 
it  by  hiding  behind  our  Lord  ?  Let  us  this  day 
run  to  him,  and  be  at  peace. 

Often  the  common  wind  of  trouble  rises  in  its 
force  and  becomes  a  tempest,  sweeping  everything 
before  it  Things  which  looked  firm  and  stable 
rock  in  the  blast,  and  many  and  great  are  the  falls 
among  our  carnal  confidences.  Our  Lord  Jesus, 
the  glorious  Man,  is  a  covert  which  is  never  blown 
down.  In  him  we  mark  the  tempest  sweeping  by, 
but  we  ourselves  rest  in  delightful  serenity. 

This  day  let  us  just  stow  ourselves  away  in  our 
hiding-place,  and  sit  and  sing  under  the  protection 
of  our  covert.  Blessed  Jesus !  Blessed  Jesus ! 
How  we  love  thee  !  Well  we  may,  for  thou  art  to 
us  a  shelter  in  the  time  of  storm. 


26o  Jfaitlj's  Cljcquc  Boolt.  Sept.  i6. 

"And  whosoever  shall  give  to  drink  unlo  one  of  these 
little  ones  a  cup  of  cold  water  only  in  the  name  of  a  disciple, 
verily  I  say  unto  you,  he  shall  in  no  wise  lose  his  reward." 
Malt.  X.  42. 

WELL,  I  can  do  as  much  as  that.  I  can  do  a 
kind  act  towards  the  Lord's  servant.  The 
Lord  knows  I  love  them  all,  and  would  count  it  an 
honour  to  wash  their  feet.  For  the  sake  of  their. 
Master  I  love  the  disciples. 

How  gracious  of  the  Lord  to  mention  so  insigni- 
ficant an  action—"  to  give  to  drink  a  cup  of  cold 
water  only"  1  This  I  can  do,  however  poor  :  this  I 
may  do,  however  lowly  :  this  I  will  do  right  cheer- 
fully. This,  which  seems  so  little,  the  Lord  notices 
■ — notices  when  done  to  the  least  of  his  followers. 
Evidently  it  is  not  the  cost,  nor  the  skill,  nor  the 
quantity,  that  he  looks  at,  but  the  motive:  that 
which  we  do  to  a  disciple,  because  he  is  a  disciple, 
his  Lord  observes,  and  recompenses.  He  does  not 
reward  us  for  the  merit  of  what  we  do,  but  accord- 
ing to  the  riches  of  his  grace. 

I  give  a  cup  of  cold  water,  and  he  makes  me  to 
drink  of  living  water.  I  give  to  one  of  his  little 
ones,  and  he  treats  me  as  one  of  them.  Jesus 
finds  an  apology  for  his  liberality  in  that  which 
his  grace  has  led  me  to  do,  and  he  says,  "  He 
shall  in  no  wise  lose  his  reward." 


Sep;.  17.  iFai'lIj's  Cljcquc  Boolt.  261 

"77;^  righteous  sliall  jlourish  like  the  palm  tree:  lie  shall 
grow  like  a  cedar  in  Lebanon.^' — Ps.  xcii.  12. 

THESE  trees  are  not  trained  and  pruned  by- 
man  :  palms  and  cedars  are  "  trees  of  the 
Lord,"  and  it  is  by  his  care  that  they  flourish  ;  even 
so  it  is  with  the  saints  of  the  Lord,  they  are  his  own 
care.  These  trees  are  evergreen  and  are  beautiful 
objects  at  all  seasons  of  the  year.  Believers  are 
not  sometimes  holy  and  sometimes  ungodly:  they 
stand  in  the  beauty  of  the  Lord  under  all  weathers. 
Everywhere  these  trees  are  noteworthy  :  no  one 
can  gaze  upon  a  landscape  in  which  there  are 
either  palms  or  cedars  without  his  attention  being 
fixed  upon  these  royal  growths.  The  followers  of 
Jesus  are  the  observed  of  all  observers  :  like  a  city 
set  on  a  hill  they  cannot  be  hid. 

The  child  of  God  flourishes  like  a  palm  tree, 
which  pushes  all  its  strength  upward  in  one  erect 
column  without  a  single  branch.  It  is  a  pillar  with 
a  glorious  capital.  It  has  no  growth  to  the  right  or 
to  th<;  left,  but  sends  all  its  force  heavenward,  and 
bears  its  fruit  as  near  the  sky  as  possible.  Lord, 
fulfil  this  type  in  me. 

The  cedar  braves  all  storms,  and  grows  near  the 
eternal  snows,  the  Lord  himself  filling  it  with  a  sap 
which  keeps  its  heart  warm  and  its  boughs  strong. 
Lord,  so  let  it  be  with  me,  I  pray  thee.     Amen. 


26a  jFai'tlj'g  Cf)rqite  Baoft.  Sept.  i8. 

"And  of  Benjamin  he.  said.  The  beloved  of  the  Lord 
shall  dwell  in  safety  by  him ;  arid  the  Lord  shall  cover 
him  all  the  day  long,  and  he  shall  divcll  between  his 
shoulders." — Deut.  xxxiii.  12. 

YES,  there  is  no  safety  like  that  which  comes  of 
dwelling  near  to  God.  For  his  best  beloved 
the  Lord  can  find  no  surer  or  safer  place.  O  Lord, 
let  me  always  abide  under  thy  shadow,  close  to  thy 
wounded  side.  Nearer  and  nearer  would  I  come 
to  thee,  my  Lord  ;  and  when  once  specially  near 
thee,  I  would  abide  there  for  ever. 

What  a  covering  is  that  which  the  Lord  gives  to 
his  chosen  !  Not  a  fair  roof  shall  cover  him,  nor  a 
bomb-proof  casement,  nor  even  an  angel's  wing, 
but  Jehovah  himself.  Nothing  can  come  at  us 
when  we  are  thus  covered.  This  covering  the  Lord 
will  grant  us  all  the  day  long,  however  long  the  day. 
Lord,  let  me  abide  this  day  consciously  beneath  this 
canopy  of  love,  this  pavilion  of  sovereign  power. 

Does  the  third  clause  mean  that  the  Lord  in  his 
temple  would  dwell  among  the  mountains  of  Ben- 
jamin, or  that  the  Lord  would  be  where  Benjamin's 
burden  should  be  placed,  or  docs  it  mean  that  we 
are  borne  upon  the  shoulders  of  the  Eternal  ? 
In  any  case,  the  Lord  is  the  support  and  strength 
of  his  saints.  Lord,  let  me  ever  enjoy  thy  help, 
and  then  my  arms  will  be  sufficient  for  me. 


Srrr.  19.  J^aitfj'g  Cfjrque  ISaoh.  263 

^'T/i£  Lord  ihy  God  in  the  midst  of  thee  is  mif:;hty ;  he 
I0\ll  save,  he  will  icjoice  over  thee  icith  Joy  ;  he  will  rest  in 
his  love,  he  will  Joy  over  thee  with  singing." — Zeph.  iii.  17. 

\  X  7"  HAT  a  word  is  this !  Jehovah  God  in  the 
V  V  centre  of  his  people  in  all  the  majesty  of 
his  power  !  This  presence  alone  suffices  to  inspire 
us  with  peace  and  hope.  Treasures  of  boundless 
might  are  stored  in  our  Jehovah,  and  he  dwells  in 
his  church,  therefore  may  his  people  shout  for  joy. 
We  not  only  have  his  presence,  but  he  is  engai;cd 
upon  his  choice  work  of  salvation.  "  He  will  save." 
He  is  always  saving:  he  takes  his  name  of  Jesus 
from  it.  Let  us  not  fear  any  danger,  for  he  is 
mighty  to  save. 

Nor  is  this  all.  He  abides  evermore  the  same  ; 
he  loves,  he  finds  rest  in  loving,  he  will  not  cease  to 
love.  His  love  gives  him  joy.  He  even  finds  a 
theme  for  song  in  his  beloved.  This  is  exceedingly 
wonderful.  When  God  wrought  creation  he  did  not 
sing,  but  simply  said,  "  It  is  very  good  "  ;  but  when 
he  came  to  redemption,  then  the  sacred  Trinity  felt 
a  joy  to  be  expressed  in  song.  Think  of  it,  and  be 
astonished  !  Jehovah  Jesus  sings  a  marriage  song 
over  his  chosen  bride.  She  is  to  him  his  love,  his 
joy,  his  rest,  his  song.  O  Lord  Jesus,  by  thine 
immeasurable  love  to  us  teach  us  to  love  thee,  to 
rejoice  in  thee,  and  to  sing  unto  thcc  our  life-psalm. 


2^4  iratt^'s  (Ifjcqtie  Coclt.  sepf.  20, 

'■''  Thy  people  shall  be  willing  in  the  day  of  thy  power" 
Ps.  ex.  3. 

BLESSED  be  the  God  of  grace  that  it  is  so! 
He  has  a  people  whom  he  has  chosen  from 
of  old  to  be  his  peculiar  portion.  These  by  nature 
have  wills  as  stubborn  as  the  rest  of  the  fro  ward 
sons  of  Adam  ;  but  when  the  day  of  his  power 
comes,  and  grace  displays  its  omnipotence,  they 
become  willing  to  repent,  and  to  believe  in  Jesus. 
None  are  saved  unwillingly,  but  the  will  is  m.ade 
sweetly  to  yield  itself  What  a  wondrous  power  is 
this,  which  never  violates  the  will,  and  yet  rules  it ! 
God  does  not  break  the  lock,  but  he  opens  it  by  a 
master-key  which  he  alone  can  handle. 

Now  are  we  willing  to  be,  to  do,  or  to  suffer  as 
the  Lord  wills.  If  at  any  time  we  grow  rebellious 
he  has  but  to  come  to  us  with  power,  and  straightway 
we  run  in  the  way  of  his  commands  with  all  our 
hearts.  May  this  be  a  day  of  power  with  me  as  to 
some  noble  effort  for  the  glory  of  God  and  the 
good  of  my  fellow-men  !  Lord,  I  am  willing  ;  may 
I  not  hope  that  this  is  a  day  of  thy  power  "i  I  am 
wholly  at  thy  disposal ;  willing,  yea,  eager,  to  be 
used  of  thee  for  thy  holy  purposes.  O  Lord,  let 
me  not  have  to  cry,  "  To  will  is  present  with  me,  but 
how  to  perform  that  which  I  would,  I  find  not  '* ; 
but  give  me  power  as  thou  givest  me  will. 


Skpi-.  21.  iFnitf)'^  CCfjcque  Boclt.  265 

^'■Kncivitig  that  trilnilation  worketh  patience^—  Rom.  v.  3. 

THIS  is  a  promise  in  essence  if  not  in  form. 
We  have  need  of  patience,  and  here  we  sec  the 
way  of  getting  it.  It  is  only  by  enduring  that  we 
learn  to  endure,  even  as  by  swimming  men  learn 
to  swim.  You  could  not  learn  that  art  on  dry  land, 
nor  learn  patience  without  trouble.  Is  it  not  worth 
while  to  suffer  tribulation  for  the  sake  of  gaining 
that  beautiful  equanimity  of  mind  which  quietly 
acquiesces  in  all  the  will  of  God  ? 

Yet  our  text  sets  forth  a  singular  fact,  which  is 
not  according  to  nature,  but  is  supernatural.  Tribu- 
lation in  and  of  itself  worketh  petulance,  unbelief, 
and  rebellion.  It  is  only  by  the  sacred  alchemy 
of  grace  that  it  is  made  to  work  in  us  patience. 
We  do  not  thresh  the  wheat  to  lay  the  dust :  yet 
the  flail  of  tribulation  does  this  upon  God's  floor. 
We  do  not  toss  a  man  about  in  order  to  give  him 
rest,  and  yet  so  the  Lord  dealeth  with  his  children. 
Truly  this  is  not  the  manner  of  man,  but  greatly 
redounds  to  the  glory  of  our  all-wise  God. 

Oh,  for  grace  to  let  my  trials  bless  me !  Why 
should  I  wish  to  stay  their  gracious  operation  ? 
Lord,  I  ask  thee  to  remove  my  affliction,  but  I 
beseech  thee  ten  times  more  to  remove  my  im- 
patience. Precious  Lord  Jesus,  with  thy  cross 
engrave  the  image  of  thy  patience  on  my  heart 


266  iFaitlj's  Cljcque  33ooTt.  Sept.  22. 


*'£uf  there  the  glo7-ioiis  Lord  will  be  unto  us  a  place  oj 
broad  rivers  and  streams  ;  wherein  shall  go  fw  galley  with 
oars,  neither  shall  gallant  ship  pass  thereby." — Isa.  xxxiii.  21. 


THE  Lord  will  be  to  us  the  greatest  good 
without  any  of  the  drawbacks  which  seem 
necessarily  to  attend  the  best  earthly  things.  If  a 
city  is  favoured  with  broad  rivers,  it  is  liable  to  be 
attacked  by  galleys  with  oars,  and  other  ships  of 
war.  But  when  the  Lord  represents  the  abundance 
of  his  bounty  under  this  figure,  he  takes  care  ex- 
pressly to  shut  out  the  fear  which  the  metaphor 
might  suggest.     Blessed  be  his  perfect  love ! 

Lord,  if  thou  send  me  wealth  like  broad  rivers 
do  not  let  the  galley  with  oars  come  up  in 
the  shape  of  worldliness  or  pride.  If  thou  grant 
me  abundant  health  and  happy  spirits,  do  not  let 
"  the  gallant  ship  "  of  carnal  ease  come  sailing  up 
the  flowing  flood.  If  I  have  success  in  holy  service, 
broad  as  the  German  Rhine,  yet  let  me  never  find 
the  galley  of  self-conceit  and  self-confidence  floating 
on  the  waves  of  my  usefulness.  Should  I  be  so 
supremely  happy  as  to  enjoy  the  light  of  thy 
countenance  year  after  year,  yet  let  me  never  despise 
thy  feeble  saints^  nor  allow  the  vain  notion  of  ni)-  own 
perfection  to  sail  up  the  broad  rivers  of  my  full 
assurance.  Lord,  give  mc  that  biessingwhich  maketh 
rich,  and  neither  addeth  sorrow,  nor  aideth  sin. 


Sept  23.  jTattlj's  €f)eque  13oolt.  267 

"^iVr,  /i;,  /  7i.iill  command,  and  I  tvill  sift  the  house  of 
Israel  among  all  na  'ions,  like  as  corn  is  sifted  in  a  sieve^ 
yet    shall    not    the    least    grain   fall    upon   the   earth." 
Amos  ix.  9. 

THE  sifting  process  is  going  on  still.  Wherever 
we  go,  we  are  still  being  winnowed  and 
sifted.  In  all  countries  God's  people  are  being 
tried  "  like  as  corn  is  sifted  in  a  sieve."  Sometimes 
the  devil  holds  the  sieve,  and  tosses  us  up  and 
down  at  a  great  rate,  with  the  earnest  desire  to  get 
rid  of  us  for  ever.  Unbelief  is  not  slow  to  agitate 
our  heart  and  mind  with  its  restless  fears.  The 
world  lends  a  willing  hand  at  the  same  process,  and 
shakes  us  to  the  right  and  to  the  left  with  great 
vigour.  Worst  of  all,  the  church,  so  largely  apostate 
as  it  is,  comes  in  to  give  a  more  furious  force  to  the 
sifting  process. 

Well,  well !  let  it  go  on.  Thus  is  the  chaff  severed 
from  the  wheat.  Thus  is  the  wheat  delivered  from 
dust  and  chaff.  And  how  great  is  the  mercy 
wb.ich  comes  to  us  in  the  text,  "  yet  shall  not  the 
least  grain  fall  upon  the  earth  "  !  All  shall  be  pre- 
served that  is  good,  true,  gracious.  Not  one  of  the 
least  of  believers  shall  be  lost,  neither  shall  any 
believer  lose  anything  worth  calling  a  loss.  We 
shall  be  sc  kept  in  the  sifting  that  it  shall  be  a  real 
gain  to  us  through  Christ  Jesus. 


268  Jait^'g  Cfjeque  Baolt.  Sept.  24. 

'■''And  it  shall  come  to  pass^  that  every  thing  that  liveth, 
which  moveth,  whithersoever  the  rivers  shall  come,  shall 
/ive."—Ezek.  xlvii.  9. 

THE  living  waters,  in  the  prophet's  vision, 
flowed  into  the  Dead  Sea,  and  carried  life 
with  them,  even  into  that  stagnant  lake.  Where 
grace  goes,  spiritual  life  is  the  immediate  and  the 
everlastingconsequence.  Grace  proceeds  sovereignly 
according  to  the  will  of  God,  even  as  a  river  in  all  its 
windings  follows  its  own  sweet  will  ;  and  wherever 
it  comes  it  does  not  wait  for  life  to  come  to  it, 
but  it  creates  life  by  its  own  quickening  flow.  Oh 
that  it  would  pour  along  our  streets,  and  flood  our 
slums !  Oh  that  it  would  now  come  into  my  house, 
and  rise  till  every  chamber  were  made  to  swim 
with  it !  Lord,  let  the  living  water  flow  to  my 
family  and  my  friends,  and  let  it  not  pass  me  by. 
I  hope  I  have  drunk  of  it  already  ;  but  I  desire  to 
bathe  in  it,  yea,  to  swim  in  it,  O  my  Saviour,  I 
need  life  more  abundantly.  Come  to  me,  I  pray 
thee,  till  every  part,  of  my  nature  is  vividly  energetic 
and  intensely  active.  Living  God,  I  pray  thee,  fill 
me  with  thine  own  life. 

I  am  a  poor,  dry  stick  ;  come  and  make  me  so  to 
live  that,  like  Aaron's  rod,  I  may  bud  and  blossom 
and  bring  forth  fruit  unto  thy  glory.  Quicken  me, 
for  the  sake  of  my  Lord  Jesus.     Amen. 


Sfpt.  2$.  JTailTys  Cljfquc  Book.  269 

*'//  the  Lord  icere  flensed  to   kill  t/s,    he   would  not 
have  received  a  burnt  offering  and  a  tneat  offering  at  our 
hands,  neither  would  he  have  shewed  us  all  these  things,'* 
Judges  xiii.  23. 

THIS  is  a  sort  of  promise  deduced  by  logic. 
It  is  an  inference  fairly  drawn  from  ascer- 
tained facts.  It  was  not  likely  that  the  Lord  had 
revealed  to  Manoah  and  his  wife  that  a  son  would 
be  born  to  them,  and  yet  had  it  in  his  heart  to 
destroy  them.  The  wife  reasoned  well,  and  we 
shall  do  well  if  we  follow  her  line  of  argument. 

The  Father  has  accepted  the  great  sacrifice  of 
Calvary,  and  has  declared  himself  well  pleased 
therewith  ;  how  can  he  now  be  pleased  to  kill  us  } 
Why  a  substitute  if  the  sinner  must  still  perish  ? 
The  accepted  sacrifice  of  Jesus  puts  an  end  to  fear. 

The  Lord  has  shown  us  our  election,  our  adoption, 
our  union  to  Christ,  our  marriage  to  the  W'ell- 
b'Joved  :  how  can  he  now  destroy  us?  The 
promises  are  loaded  with  blessings,  which  necessi- 
tate our  being  preserved  unto  eternal  life.  It  is  not 
possible  for  the  Lord  to  cast  us  away,  and  yet  fulfil 
his  covenant.  The  past  assures  us,  and  the  future 
re-assures  us.  We  shall  not  die,  but  live  ;  for  we 
have  seen  Jesus,  and  in  him  we  have  seen  the 
]'"ather  by  the  illumination  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Because  of  this  life-giving  sight  we  must  live  for  ever. 


ajo  iFaitlj'g  Cl)£qu£  Book.  Sept.  26 

"Z^,  f/ze  people  shall  dwell  alone,  afid  shall  not  be 
reckoned  among  the  nations.'^ — Num.  xxiii,  9. 

WHO  would  wish  to  dwell  among  the  nations, 
and  to  be  numbered  with  them  ?  Why, 
even  the  professing  church  is  such  that  to  follow 
the  Lord  fully  within  its  bounds  is  very  difficult. 
There  is  such  a  mingling  and  mixing  that  one 
often  sighs  for  "  a  lodge  in  some  vast  wilderness." 

Certain  it  is  that  the  Lord  would  have  his  people 
follow  a  separated  path  as  to  the  world,  and  come 
out  decidedly  and  distinctly  from  it.  We  are  set 
apart  by  the  divine  decree,  purchase,  and  calling, 
and  our  inward  experience  has  made  us  greatly  to 
differ  from  men  of  the  world  ;  and  therefore  our 
place  is  not  in  their  Vanity  Fair,  nor  in  their  City 
of  Destruction,  but  in  the  narrow  way  where  all 
true  pilgrims  must  follow  their  Lord. 

This  may  not  only  reconcile  us  to  the  world's 
cold  shoulder  and  sneers,  but  even  cause  us  to  accept 
them  with  pleasure  as  being  a  part  of  our  covenant 
portion.  Our  names  are  not  in  the  same  book,  we 
are  not  of  the  same  seed,  we  are  not  bound  for  the 
same  place,  neither  are  we  trusting  to  the  same  guide, 
therefore  it  is  well  that  we  are  not  of  their  number. 
Only  let  us  be  found  in  the  number  of  the  redeemed, 
and  we  are  content  to  be  odd  and  solitary  to  the 
end  of  the  chapter. 


Seit.  27.  jFaillj'e  (Hljcque  Boolt.  271 

"Tvr  thou  wilt  light  my  candle" — Ps.  xviii.  28. 

IT  may  be  that  my  soul  sits  in  darkness;  and  if 
this  be  of  a  spiritual  kind,  no  human  power 
can  bring  me  light.  Blessed  be  God  !  he  can 
enlighten  my  darkness,  and  at  once  light  my 
candle.  Even  though  I  may  be  surrounded  by  a 
"  darkness  which  might  be  felt,"  yet  he  can  break 
the  gloom,  and  immediately  make  it  bright  around 
me. 

The  mercy  is,  that  if  he  lights  the  candle  none 
can  blow  it  out,  neither  will  it  go  out  for  lack  of 
substance,  nor  burn  out  of  itself  through  the  lapse 
of  hours.  The  lights  which  the  Lord  kindled  in 
the  beginning  are  shining  still.  The  Lord's  lamps 
may  need  trimming,  but  he  does  not  put  them  out. 

Let  me,  then,  like  the  nightingale,  sing  in  the 
dark.  Expectation  shall  furnish  me  with  music, 
and  hope  shall  pitch  the  tune.  Soon  I  shall  rejoice 
in  a  candle  of  God's  lighting.  I  am  dull  and 
dreary  just  now.  Perhaps  it  is  the  weather,  or 
bodily  weakness,  or  the  surprise  of  a  sudden 
trouble  ;  but  whatever  has  made  the  darkness,  it 
is  God  alone  who  will  bring  the  light.  M}'  c}'cs 
are  unto  him  alone.  I  shall  soon  have  the  candle 
of  the  Lord  shining  about  me  ;  and,  further  on  in 
his  own  good  time,  I  shall  be  where  they  need  i\o 
candle,  neither  light  of  the  sun.     Hallelujah  ! 


2  72  jFaitiys  Cljcque  13oo!t.  Sept.  28. 


'■'■There  remaineth  therefore  a  rest  to  the  people  of  God." 
Heb.  iv.  9. 


GOD  has  provided  a  Sabbath,  and  some  must 
enter  into  it.  Those  to  whom  it  was  first 
preached  entered  not  in  because  of  unbelief ;  there- 
fore, that  Sabbath  remains  for  the  people  of  God. 
David  sang  of  it ;  but  he  had  to  touch  the  minor  key, 
for  Israel  refused  the  rest  of  God.  Joshua  could  not 
give  it,  nor  Canaan  yield  it :  it  remains  for  believers. 

Come,  then,  let  us  labour  to  enter  into  this  rest. 
Let  us  quit  the  weary  toil  of  sin  and  self.  Let  us 
cease  from  all  confidence,  even  in  those  works  of 
which  it  might  be  said,  "  They  are  very  good." 
Have  we  any  such  ?  Still,  let  us  cease  from  our 
own  works,  as  God  did  from  his.  Now  let  us  find 
solace  in  the  finished  work  of  our  Lord  Jesus. 
Everything  is  fully  done  :  justice  demands  no  more. 
Great  peace  is  our  portion  in  Christ  Jesus. 

As  to  providential  matters,  the. work  of  grace  in 
the  soul,  and  the  work  of  the  Lord  in  the  souls  Oi 
others,  let  us  cast  these  burdens  upon  the  Lord, 
and  rest  in  him.  When  the  Lord  gives  us  a  yoke 
to  bear,  he  does  so  that  by  taking  it  up  we  may 
find  rest.  By  faith  we  labour  to  enter  into  the 
rest  of  God,  and  we  renounce  all  rest  in  self- 
satisfaction  or  indolence.  Jesus  himself  is  perfect 
rest,  and  we  are  filled  to  the  brim  in  him. 


Sept.  29.  JFaitlj'g  Cljrquc  13ooIu  273 

"i%  shall  glorify  me :  for  he  shall  receive  of  mine,  and 
shall  shew  it  unto  you!' — John  xvi.  14. 

THE  Holy  Ghost  himself  cannot  better  glorify 
the  Lord  Jesus  than  by  showing  to  us  Christ's 
own  things.  Jesus  is  his  own  best  commendation. 
There  is  no  adorning  him  except  with  his  own  gold. 

The  Comforter  shows  us  that  which  he  has  re- 
ceived of  our  Lord  Jesus.  We  never  see  anything 
aright  till  he  reveals  it.  He  has  a  way  of  opening 
our  minds,  and  of  opening  the  Scriptures,  and  by 
this  double  process  he  sets  forth  our  Lord  to  us. 
There  is  much  art  in  setting  forth  a  matter,  and 
that  art  belongs  in  the  highest  degree  to  the  Spirit 
of  truth.  He  shows  us  the  things  themselves.  This 
is  a  great  privilege,  as  those  know  who  have  enjoyed 
the  hallowed  vision. 

Let  us  seek  the  illumination  of  the  Spirit  ;  not 
to  gratify  our  curiosity,  nor  even  to  bring  us  per- 
sonal comfort,  so  much  as  to  glorify  the  Lord 
Jesus.  Oh  to  have  worthy  ideas  of  him  !  Grovel- 
ling notions  dishonour  our  precious  Lord.  Oh  to 
have  such  vivid  impressions  of  his  person,  and 
work,  and  glory,  that  we  may  with  heart  and  soul 
cry  out  to  his  praise!  Where  th:re  is  a  heart  en- 
riched by  the  Holy  Ghost's  tcac  ling  there  will  be  a 
Saviour  glorified  beyond  expression.  Come,  Holy 
Spirit,  heavenly  light,  and  show  us  Jesus  our  Lord. 

18 


2  74  JFai'tfj's  CIjfquE  Book.  Seit.  30. 

'■'Open  thy  mouth  wide^  and  I  will  fill  it.'''' — Ps.  Ixxxi.  10. 

WHAT  an  encouragement  to  pray !  Our 
human  notions  would  lead  us  to  ask  small 
things  because  our  deservings  are  so  small ;  but  the 
Lord  would  have  us  request  great  blessings.  Prayer 
should  be  as  simple  a  matter  as  the  opening  of  the 
mouth  ;  it  should  be  a  natural,  unconstrained  utter- 
ance. When  a  man  is  earnest  he  opens  his  mouth 
wide,  and  our  text  urges  us  to  be  fervent  in  our 
supplications. 

Yet  it  also  means  that  we  may  make  bold  with 
God,  and  ask  many  and  large  blessings  at  his  hands. 
Read  the  whole  verse,  and  see  the  argument :  "  I  am 
Jehovah,  thy  God,  which  brought  thee  out  of  the 
land  of  Egypt :  open  thy  mouth  wide,  and  I  will 
fill  it."  Because  the  Lord  has  given  us  so  much 
he  invites  us  to  ask  for  more,  yea,  to  expect  more. 

See  how  the  little  birds  in  their  nests  seem  to  be 
all  mouth  when  the  mother  comes  to  feed  them. 
Let  it  be  the  same  with  us.  Let  us  take  in  grace 
at  every  door.  Let  us  drink  it  in  as  a  sponge  sucks 
up  the  water  in  which  it  lies.  God  is  ready  to  fill 
us  if  we  are  only  ready  to  be  filled.  Let  our 
needs  make  us  open  our  mouths  ;  let  our  faintness 
cause  us  to  open  our  mouths  and  pant;  yea,  let  our 
alarm  make  us  open  our  mouths  with  a  child's  cry 
The  opened  mouth  shall  be  filled  by  the  Lord 
himself.     So  be  it  unto  us,  O  Lord,  this  day. 


Oct.  I.  iFaitb'3  Ci)eque  Book.  275 

"//^  hath  given  meat  unto  them  that  fear  him  :  he  7i>ill 
ti'er  be  mindful  of  his  covenant." — Ps.  cxi.  5. 

THOSE  who  fear  God  need  not  fear  want. 
Through  all  these  long  years  the  Lord  has 
always  found  meat  for  his  own  children,  whether 
they  have  been  in  the  wilderness,  or  by  the  brook 
Cherith,  or  in  captivity,  or  in  the  midst  of  famine. 
Hitherto  the  Lord  has  given  us  day  by  day  our 
daily  bread,  and  we  doubt  not  that  he  will  continue 
to  feed  us  till  we  want  no  more. 

As  to  the  higher  and  greater  blessings  of  ^he 
covenant  of  grace,  he  will  never  cease  to  supply 
them  as  our  case  demands.  He  is  mindful  that  he 
made  the  covenant,  and  never  acts  as  if  he  regretted 
it.  He  is  mindful  of  it  when  we  provoke  him  to 
destroy  us.  He  is  mindful  to  love  us,  keep  us,  and 
comfort  us,  even  as  he  engaged  to  do.  He  is  mind- 
ful of  every  jot  and  tittle  of  his  engagements,  never 
suffering  one  of  his  words  to  fall  to  the  ground. 

We  are  sadly  unmindful  of  our  God,  but  he  is 
graciously  mindful  of  us.  He  cannot  forget  his 
Son  who  is  the  Surety  of  the  Covenant,  nor  his 
Holy  Spirit  who  actively  carries  out  the  covenant, 
nor  his  own  honour,  which  is  bound  up  with  the 
covenant.  Hence  the  foundation  of  God  standeth 
[sure,  and  no  believer  shall  lose  his  divine  inherit- 
ance, which  is  his  by  a  covenant  of  salt. 


276  Jaitlj's  C|)£qu£  Book  Oct.  2. 

'^And  Joseph  said  unto  his  brethren^  I  die :  and  God 
ii<ili  surely  visit  you,  and  bring  you  out  of  this  land  unto  the 
land  which  he  sware  to  Abraham  to  Isaac,  and  to  Jacob P 
Gen.  1.  24. 

JOSEPH  had  been  an  incarnate  providence  to 
his  brethren.  All  our  Josephs  die,  and  a 
thousand  comforts  die  with  them.  Egypt  was 
never  the  same  to  Israel  after  Joseph  was  dead, 
nor  can  the  world  again  be  to  some  of  us  what  it 
was  when  our  beloved  ones  were  alive. 

But  see  how  the  pain  of  that  sad  death  was 
alleviated  !  They  had  a  promise  that  the  living 
God  would  visit  them.  A  visit  from  Jehovah ! 
What  a  favour !  What  a  consolation !  What  a 
heaven  below  !  O  Lord,  visit  us  this  day  ;  though 
indeed  we  are  not  worthy  that  thou  shouldest 
come  under  our  roof. 

But  more  was  promised  :  the  Lord  would  bring 
tJiein  ant.  They  would  find  in  Egypt  a  cold  wel- 
come when  Joseph  was  dead  ;  nay,  it  would  become 
to  them  a  house  of  bondage.  But  it  was  not  to  be 
so  for  ever ;  they  would  come  out  ot  it  by  a  divine 
deliverance,  and  march  to  the  land  of  promise. 
We  shall  not  weep  here  for  ever.  We  shall  be 
called  home  to  the  glory-land  to  join  our  dear 
ones.  Wherefore,  "  comfort  one  another  with  these 
words." 


Oct  3.  iFai't!)'0  Ci^cque  Booft.  277 

"As  for  me,  I  will  behold  thy  face  in  righfeous?iess  : 
I  shall  be  satisfied,    when  I  a'vake,  with  thy   likeness.'' 

I's   xvii.  15. 

THE  portion  of  other  men  fills  their  bodies,  and 
enriches  their  children,  but  the  portion  of 
the  believer  is  of  another  sort.  Men  of  the  world 
have  their  treasure  in  this  world,  but  men  of  the 
world  to  come  look  higher  and  further. 

Our  possession  is  twofold.  We  have  God's  pre- 
sence here  and  his  likeness  hereafter.  Here  we  be- 
hold the  face  of  the  Lord  in  righteousness,  for  we 
are  justified  in  Christ  Jesus.  Oh,  the  joy  of  beholding 
the  face  of  a  reconciled  God  !  The  glory  of  God  in 
the  face  of  Jesus  Christ  yields  us  heaven  below,  and 
it  will  be  to  us  the  heaven  of  heaven  above. 

But  seeing  does  not  end  it:  we  are  to  be  changed 
into  that  which  we  gaze  upon.  We  shall  sleep 
a  while  and  then  wake  up  to  find  ourselves  as 
mirrors  which  reflect  the  beauties  of  our  Lord. 
Faith  sees  God  with  a  transforming  look.  The 
heart  receives  the  image  of  Jesus  into  its  own 
depths,  till  the  character  of  Jesus  is  imprinted  on 
the  soul.  This  is  satisfaction.  To  see  God  and 
to  be  like  him — what  more  can  I  desire?  David's 
assured  confidence  is  here  by  the  Holy  Ghost 
made  to  be  the  Lord's  promise.  I  believe  it. 
I  expect  it.     Lord,  vouchsafe  it.     Amen. 


27&  iFni'tlj's  €f)fquc  Booft.  Oct.  4. 

"And  I,  if  /  be  iified  up  jrotn  the  earthy  will  draw  all 
men  unto  me." — John  xii.  32. 

COME,  ye  workers,  be  encouraged.  You  fear 
that  you  cannot  draw  a  congregation.  Try 
the  preaching  of  a  crucified,  risen,  and  ascended 
Saviour  ;  for  this  is  the  greatest  "  draw  "  that  was 
ever  yet  manifested  among  men.  What  drew  you 
to  Christ  but  Christ  ?  What  draws  you  to  him 
now  but  his  own  blessed  self?  If  you  have  been 
drawn  to  religion  by  anything  else,  you  will  soon 
be  drawn  away  from  it ;  but  Jesus  has  held  you, 
and  will  hold  you  even  to  the  end.  Why,  then, 
doubt  his  power  to  draw  others  ?  Go  with  the 
name  of  Jesus  to  those  who  have  hitherto  been 
stubborn,  and  see  if  it  does  not  draw  them. 

No  sort  of  man  is  beyond  this  drawing  power. 
Old  and  young,  rich  and  poor,  ignorant  and  learned, 
depraved  or  amiable — all  men  shall  feel  the  attrac- 
tive force.  Jesus  is  the  one  magnet.  Let  us  not 
think  of  any  other.  Music  will  not  draw  to  Jesus, 
neither  will  eloquence,  logic,  ceremonial,  or  noise. 
Jesus  himself  must  draw  men  to  himself;  and  Jesus 
is  quite  equal  to  the  work  in  every  case.  Be  not 
tempted  by  the  quackeries  of  the  day ;  but  as 
workers  for  the  Lord  work  in  his  own  way,  and  draw 
with  the  Lord's  own  cords.  Draw  to  Christ,  and 
draw  by  Christ,  for  then  Christ  will  draw  by  you. 


Oct.  J.  iFaitlj'g  €\)eqm  Booft.  ayp 

"A /id  the  remnant  of  Jacob  shall  be  in  the  midst  of 
many  people  as  a  dew  from  the  Lord,  as  the  showers  upon 
the  grass,  that  tarrieth  fiot  for  man,  nor  waiteth  for  the 
sons  of  men.''' — Micah  v.  7. 

IF  this  be  true  of  the  h'teral  Israel,  much  more  is 
it  true  of  the  spiritual  Israel,  the  believing 
people  of  God.  When  saints  are  what  they  should 
be,  they  are  an  incalculable  blessing  to  those  among 
whom  they  are  scattered. 

They  are  as  the  dew  ;  for  in  a  quiet,  unobtrusive 
manner  they  refresh  those  around  them.  Silently 
but  effectually  they  minister  to  the  life,  growth,  and 
joy  of  those  who  dwell  with  them.  Coming  fresh 
from  heaven,  glistening  like  diamonds  in  the  sun, 
gracious  men  and  women  attend  to  the  feeble  and 
insignificant  till  each  blade  of  grass  has  its  own 
drop  of  dew.  Little  as  individuals,  they  are,  when 
united,  all-sufficient  for  the  purposes  of  love  which 
the  Lord  fulfils  through  them.  Dewdrops  accom- 
plish the  refreshing  of  broad  acres.  Lord,  make 
us  like  the  dew  ! 

Godly  people  are  as  showers  which  come  at 
God's  bidding  without  man's  leave  and  license. 
They  work  for  God  whether  men  desire  it  or  not ; 
they  no  more  ask  human  permission  than  the  rain 
does.  Lord,  make  us  thus  boldly  prompt,  and  free 
in  thy  scivice  wherever  our  lot  is  cast. 


28o  jl^aitlj'g  €\)t(\nz  Booli.  Oct.  6. 

"I/owbeif  when  he,  the  Spirit  of  truth,  is  come,  he  will 
guide  you  into  all  truth." — John  xvi.  13. 

TRUTH  is  like  a  vast  cavern  into  which  we 
desire  to  enter,  but  we  are  not  able  to 
traverse  it  alone.  At  the  entrance  it  is  clear  and 
bright ;  but  if  we  would  go  further  and  explore 
its  innermost  recesses,  we  must  have  a  guide,  or  we 
shall  lose  ourselves.  The  Holy  Spirit,  who  knows 
all  truth  perfectly,  is  the  appointed  guide  of  all 
true  believers,  and  he  conducts  them  as  they  are 
able  to  bear  it,  from  one  inner  chamber  to  another, 
so  that  they  behold  the  deep  things  of  God,  and  his 
secret  is  made  plain  to  them. 

What  a  promise  is  this  for  the  humbly  enquiring 
mind  !  We  desire  to  know  the  truth,  and  to  enter 
into  it.  We  are  conscious  of  our  own  aptness  to  err, 
and  we  feel  the  urgent  need  of  a  guide.  We  rejoice 
that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  come  and  abides  among  us. 
He  condescends  to  act  as  a  guide  to  us,  and  we 
gladly  accept  his  leadership.  "All  truth  "  we  wish 
to  learn,  that  we  may  not  be  one-sided  and  out 
of  balance.  We  would  not  be  willingly  ignorant 
of  any  part  of  revelation  lest  thereby  we  should 
miss  blessing,  or  incur  sin.  The  Spirit  of  God 
has  come  that  he  may  guide  us  into  all  truth  :  let 
us  with  obedient  hearts  hearken  to  his  words  and 
follow  his  lead. 


Oct.  7.  iFnit!)*0  CTIjeque  Bocfe.  281 

^'He  goetfi  before  you  into  Galilee :  there  shall  ye  see 
him,  as  he  said  unto  you.'"'—  Mark  xvi.  7. 

WHERE  he  appointed  to  meet  his  disciples, 
there  he  would  be  in  due  time.  Jesus 
keeps  his  tryst.  If  he  promises  to  meet  us  at  the 
mercy-seat,  or  in  public  worship,  or  in  the  ordin- 
ances, we  may  depend  upon  it  that  he  will  be  there. 
We  may  wickedly  stay  away  from  the  appointed 
meeting-place,  but  he  never  does.  He  says,  "Where 
two  or  three  are  met  together  in  my  name,  there 
am  I  "  ;  he  says  not  "  There  will  I  be,"  but,  "  I  am 
there  already." 

Jesus  is  always  first  in  fellowship  :  "  He  goeth 
before  you."  His  heart  is  with  his  people,  his 
delight  is  in  them,  he  is  never  slow  to  meet  them. 
In  all  fellowship  he  goeth  before  us. 

But  he  reveals  himself  to  those  who  come  after 
him:  "There  shall  ye  see  him."  Joyful  sight !  We 
care  not  to  see  the  greatest  of  mere  men,  but  to  see 
HIM  is  to  be  filled  with  joy  and  peace.  And  we 
shall  see  him,  for  he  promises  to  come  to  those  who 
believe  in  him,  and  to  manifest  himself  to  them. 
Rest  assured  that  it  will  be  so,  for  he  does  every- 
thing according  to  his  word  of  promise:  "As  he 
said  unto  you."  Catch  at  those  last  words,  and  be 
assured  that  to  the  end  he  will  do  lor  you  "  as  he 
said  unto  you." 


282  Jaitb'a  €l)£quc  Boolt.  Oct.  8. 


'■''Thou  shall  no  more  be  termed  Forsaken.'" — isa.  Ixii.  4. 

FORSAKEN  "  is  a  dreary  word.  It  sounds 
like  a  knell.  It  is  the  record  of  sharpest 
sorrows,  and  the  prophecy  of  direst  ills.  An  abyss 
of  misery  yawns  in  that  word  "  Forsaken."  For- 
saken by  one  who  pledged  his  honour !  Forsaken 
by  a  friend  so  long  tried  and  trusted  !  Forsaken 
by  a  dear  relative  !  Forsaken  by  father  and  mother ! 
Forsaken  by  all !  This  is  woe  indeed,  and  yet  it 
may  be  patiently  borne  if  the  Lord  will  take  us  up. 

But  what  must  it  be  to  feel  forsaken  of  God  ? 
Think  of  that  bitterest  of  cries,  "  My  God,  my  God, 
why  hast  thou  forsaken  me?"  Have  we  ever  in 
any  degree  tasted  the  wormwood  and  the  gall  of 
"Forsaken,"  in  that  sense?  If  so,  let  us  beseech 
our  Lord  to  save  us  from  any  repetition  of  so  un- 
speakable a  sorrow.  Oh  that  such  darkness  may 
never  return  !  Men  in  malice  said  to  a  saint,  "  God 
hath  forsaken  him  ;  persecute  and  take  him."  But 
it  was  always  false.  The  Lord's  loving  favour  shall 
compel  our  cruel  foes  to  eat  their  own  words,  or, 
at  least,  to  hold  their  tongues. 

The  reverse  of  all  this  is  that  superlative  word, 
Hcphzibah — "  the  Lord  delighteth  in  thee."  This 
turns  weeping  into  dancing.  Let  those  who  dreamed 
that  they  were  forsaken  hear  the  Lord  say,  "  1  will 
never  leave  thee  nor  forsake  thee." 


Oct.  9.  jFaillj's  €l)rquc  Booh.  283 

^^And  the  priest  shall  put  some  of  the  bhwd  upon  the 
horns  of  the   altar    of  sweet   incense   before   the   Lord^* 
Lev.  iv.   7. 

THE  altar  of  incense  is  the  place  where  saints 
present  their  prayers  and  praises ;  and  it  is 
delightful  to  think  of  it  as  sprinkled  with  the  blood 
of  the  great  sacrifice.  This  it  is  which  makes  all  our 
worship  acceptable  with  Jehovah  :  he  sees  the  blood 
of  his  own  Son,  and  therefore  accepts  our  homage. 

It  is  well  for  us  to  fix  our  eyes  upon  the  blood 
of  the  one  offering  for  sin.  Sin  mingles  even 
with  our  holy  things,  and  our  best  repentance,  faith, 
prayer,  and  thanksgiving  could  not  be  received  of 
God  were  it  not  for  the  merit  of  the  atoning 
sacrifice.  Many  sneer  at  "  the  blood  ; "  but  to  us  it 
is  the  foundation  of  comfort  and  hope.  That  which 
is  on  the  horns  of  the  altar  is  meant  tp  be  pro- 
minently before  our  eyes  when  we  draw  near  to 
God,  The  blood  gives  strength  to  pra}-cr,  and 
hence  it  is  on  the  altar's  horns.  It  is  "  before  the 
Lord,"  and  therefore  it  ought  to  be  before  us.  It 
is  on  the  altar  before  we  bring  the  incense  ;  it  is 
there  to  sanctify  our  offerings  and  gifts. 

Come,  let  us  pray  with  confidence,  since  the 
victim  is  offered,  the  merit  has  been  pleaded,  the 
blood  is  within  the  veil,  and  the  prayers  of 
believers  must  be  sweet  unto  the  Lord. 


284  ilFaitlj's  Cljcque  BacR.  Oct.  la 

^^ I  have  set  before  thee  an  open  door,  and  no  man  can 
shut  it." — Rev.  iii.  8. 

SAINTS  who  remain  faithful  to  the  truth  of 
God  have  an  open  door  before  them.  My 
soul,  thou  hast  resolved  to  live  and  die  by  that 
which  the  Lord  has  revealed  in  his'  Word,  and 
therefore  before  thee  stands  this  open  door. 

I  willenter  in  by  the  open  doorof  communion  with 
God.  Who  shall  say  me  nay  ?  Jesus  has  removed 
my  sin,  and  given  me  his  righteousness,  therefore 
I  may  freely  enter.     Lord,  I  do  so  by  thy  grace. 

I  have  also  before  me  an  open  door  into  the 
mysteries  of  the  Word.  I  may  enter  into  the 
deep  things  of  God.  Election,  Union  to  Christ, 
the  Second  Advent — all  these  are  before  me,  and 
I  may  enjoy  them.  No  promise  and  no  doctrine 
are  now  locked  up  against  me. 

An  open  door  of  access  is  before  me  in  private, 
and  an  open  door  of  usefulness  in  public.  God  will 
hear  me  ;  God  will  use  me,  A  door  is  opened 
for  my  onward  march  to  the  church  above,  and 
for  my  daily  fellowship  with  saints  below.  Some 
may  try  to  shut  me  up  or  shut  me  out,  but  all  in  vain. 

Soon  shall  I  see  an  open  door  into  heaven  :  the 
pearl  gate  will  be  my  way  of  entrance,  and  then  I 
shall  go  in  unto  my  Lord  and  King,  and  be  with 
God  eternally  shut  in. 


Oct.  II.  jTaillj's  Cljfqiie  tSooIt.  285 

"////^  /  unll  strengthen   them   in  the  Lord:  and  they 
shall  walk  up  and  doivn  in  his  fiame,  saith  the  Lord.''' 
Zech.  X.  12. 

A  SOLACE  for  sick  saints.  They  have  grown 
faint,  and  they  fear  that  they  shall  never 
rise  from  the  bed  of  doubt  and  fear  ;  but  the  great 
Physician  can  both  remove  the  disease,  and  take 
away  the  weakness  which  has  come  of  it.  He 
will  strengthen  the  feeble.  This  he  will  do  in  the 
best  possible  way,  for  it  shall  be  "in  Jehovah." 
Our  strength  is  far  better  in  God  than  in  self.  In 
the  Lord  it  causes  fellowship,  in  ourselves  it  would 
create  pride.  In  ourselves  it  would  be  sadly 
limited,  but  in  God  it  knows  no  bound. 

When  strength  is  given,  the  believer  uses  it.  He 
walks  up  and  down  in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 
What  an  enjoyment  it  is  to  walk  abroad  after 
illness,  and  what  a  delight  to  be  strong  in  the 
Lord  after  a  season  of  prostration !  The  Lord 
gives  his  people  liberty  to  walk  up  and  down, 
and  an  inward  leisure  to  exercise  that  liberty. 
He  makes  gentlemen  of  us  :  we  are  not  slaves  who 
know  no  rest,  and  see  no  sights,  but  we  are  free 
to  travel  at  our  ease  throughout  Immanuel's  land. 

Come,  my  heart,  be  thou  no  more  sick  and  sorry. 
Jesus  bids  thee  be  strong,  and  walk  with  God  in 
holy  contemplation.     Obey  his  word  of  love. 


2S6  JFaitI)'3  Cheque  Baoft.  Oct.  12, 

"  And  the  Lord  thy  God  will  circumcise  thiiie  hrart, 
and  the  heart  of  thy  seed,  to  love  the  Lord  thy  God  tenth 
all  thine  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  that  thou  mayesl 
Uvd.^  — Deut.  XXX.  6. 

HERE  we  read  of  the  true  circumcision. 
Note  the  author  of  it  :  "  The  Lord  thy 
God."  He  alone  can  deal  effectually  with  our 
heart,  and  take  away  its  carnality  and  pollution. 
To  make  us  love  God  with  all  our  heart  and  soul 
is  a  miracle  of  grace  which  only  the  Holy  Ghost 
can  work.  We  must  look  to  the  Lord  alone  for  this, 
and  never  be  satisfied  with  anything  short  of  it. 

Note  where  this  circumcision  is  wrought.  It  is 
not  of  the  flesh,  but  of  the  spirit.  It  is  the  essential 
mark  of  the  covenant  of  grace.  Love  to  God  is 
the  indelible  token  of  the  chosen  seed  ;  by  this 
secret  seal  the  election  of  grace  is  certified  to  the 
believer.  We  must  see  to  it  that  we  trust  in  no 
outward  ritual,  but  are  sealed  in  heart  by  the 
operation  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Note  what  the  result  is — "that  thou  maycst  live." 
To  be  carnally  minded  is  death.  In  the  over- 
coming of  the  flesh  we  find  life  and  peace.  If  we 
mind  the  things  of  the  Spirit,  we  shall  live.  Oh  that 
Jehovah,  our  God,  may  complete  his  gracious  work 
upon  our  inner  natures,  that  in  the  lullest  and 
highest  sense  we  may  live  unto  the  Lord. 


0<-r.  13.  ifaill)'3  (Cljcqur  IBoob.  287 

'■'■If  my  people,  lohich  are  called  by  luy  name,  shall  liianHe 
themselves,  and  pray,  and  srek  my  /ace,  and  (urn  from  their 
wicked  tcays  ;  then  ivill  I  hear  from  heaven,  and  will  for- 
give their  sin,  aid  will  heal  their  landT — 2  Chron.  vii.  14. 

CALLED  by  the  name  of  the  Lord,  we  arc 
nevertheless  erring  men  and  women.  What 
a  mercy  it  is  that  our  God  is  ready  to  forgive ! 
Whenever  we  sin  let  us  hasten  to  the  mercy-seat 
of  our  God,  seeking  pardon. 

We  are  to  htimble  ourselves.  Should  we  not  be 
humbled  by  the  fact  that  after  receiving  so  much 
love  we  yet  transgress  .''  O  Lord,  we  bow  before 
thee  in  the  dust,  and  own  our  grievous  ingratitude. 
Oh  the  infamy  of  sin!  Oh  the  sevenfold  infamy  of 
it  in  persons  so  favoured  as  we  have  been  ! 

Next,  we  are  to  pray  for  mercy,  for  cleansing,  for 
deliverance  from  the  power  of  sin.  O  Lord,  hear 
us  even  now,  and  shut  not  out  our  cry. 

In  this  prayer  we  are  to  seek  the  Lord's  face. 
He  has  left  us  because  of  our  faults,  and  we  must 
entreat  him  to  return.  O  Lord,  look  on  us  in  thy 
Son  Jesus,  and  smile  upon  thy  servants. 

With  this  must  go  our  own  turning  from  evil, 
God  cannot  turn  to  us  unless  we  turn  from  sin. 

Then  comes  the  triple  promise  of  hearing,  pardon, 
and  healing.  Our  Father,  grant  us  these  at  once, 
for  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  s  sake. 


288  iFaitlj's  Cljrque  Book  Oct.  14. 

"  Whosoever  therefore  shall  confess  me  before  men,  him 
will  I  confess  also  before  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven^ 
Matt.  X.  32. 

GRACIOUS  promise  !  It  is  a  great  joy  to  me 
to  confess  my  Lord.  Whatever  my  faults 
may  be,  I  am  not  ashamed  of  Jesus,  nor  do  I  fear 
to  declare  the  doctrines  of  his  cross.  O  Lord,  I 
have  not  hid  thy  righteousness  within  my  heart. 

Sweet  is  the  prospect  which  the  text  sets  before 
me !  Friends  forsake  and  enemies  exult,  but  the 
Lord  does  not  disown  his  servant.  Doubtless  my 
Lord  will  own  me  even  here,  and  give  me  new 
tokens  of  his  favourable  regard.  But  there  comes 
a  day  when  I  must  stand  before  the  great  Father. 
What  bliss  to  think  that  Jesus  will  confess  me 
then !  He  will  say,  "  This  man  truly  trusted  me, 
and  was  willing  to  be  reproached  for  my  name's 
sake;  and  therefore  I  acknowledge  him  as  mine." 
The  other  day  a  great  man  was  made  a  knight, 
and  the  Queen  handed  him  a  jewelled  garter  ;  but 
what  of  that.''  It  will  be  an  honour  beyond  all 
honours  for  the  Lord  Jesus  to  confess  us  in  the 
presence  of  the  divine  Majesty  in  the  heavens. 
Never  let  me  be  ashamed  to  own  my  Lord.  Never 
let  me  indulge  a  cowardly  silence,  or  allow  a  faint- 
hearted compromise.  Shall  I  blush  to  own  him 
who  promises  to  own  me  ? 


Oct.  15.  JFaitfj's  Cljrquc  13ook.  2S9 

'^As  the  living  Father  hath  sent  me,  and  I  live  by  tlu 
Father :  so  he  that  cateth  me,  even  he  shall  live  by  me." 
Jolin  vi.  57. 

WE  live  by  virtue  of  our  union  with  the  Son 
of  God.  As  God-man  Mediator,  the  Lord 
Jesus  lives  by  the  self-existent  Father  who  has 
sent  him,  and  in  the  same  manner  we  live  by  the 
Saviour  who  has  quickened  us.  He  who  is  the 
source  of  our  life  is  also  the  sustenance  of  it. 
Living  is  sustained  by  feeding.  We  must  support 
the  spiritual  life  by  spiritual  food,  and  that  spiritual 
food  is  the  Lord  Jesus.  Not  his  life,  or  death,  or 
offices,  or  work,  or  word  alone,  but  himself,  as  in- 
cluding all  these.     On  Jesus,  himself,  we  feed. 

This  is  set  forth  to  us  in  the  Lord's  Supper,  but 
it  is  actually  enjoyed  by  us  when  we  meditate  upon 
our  Lord,  believe  in  him  with  appropriating  faith, 
take  him  into  ourselves  by  love,  and  assimilate  him 
by  the  power  of  the  inner  life.  We  know  what  it 
is  to  feed  on  Jesus,  but  we  cannot  speak  it  or  write 
it.  Our  wisest  course  is  to  practise  it,  and  to  do 
so  more  and  more.  We  are  entreated  to  eat  abun- 
dantly, and  it  will  be  to  our  infinite  profit  to  do  so 
wlien  Jesus  is  our  meat  and  our  drink. 

Lord,  I  thank  thee  that  this,  which  is  a  necessity 
of  my  new  life,  is  also  its  greatest  delight.  So,  I 
do  at  this  hour  feed  on  thee. 

19 


290  iFnitb's  Cljrqiu  13joI'.  Oct.  i6. 

"Because  I  live, ye  shall  live  also." — John  xiv.  19. 

JESUS  has  made  the  hfe  of  believers  in  him  as 
certain  as  his  own.  As  sure  as  the  head  Hves 
the  members  hve  also.  If  Jesus  has  not  risen  from 
the  dead,  then  are  we  dead  in  our  sins  ;  but  since 
he  has  risen,  all  believers  are  risen  in  him.  His 
death  has  put  away  our  transgressions,  and  loosed 
the  bonds  which  held  us  under  the  death  sentence. 
His  resurrection  proves  our  justification  :  w^e  are 
ibsolved,  and  mercy  saith,  "  The  Lord  hath  put 
away  thy  sin,  thou  shalt  not  die." 

Jesus  has  made  the  life  of  his  people  as  eternal 
is  his  own.  How  can  they  die  as  long  as  he  lives, 
seeing  they  are  one  with  him  ?  Because  he  dieth 
no  more,  and  death  hath  no  more  dominion  over 
him,  so  they  shall  no  more  return  to  the  graves  of 
their  old  sins,  but  shall  live  unto  the  Lord  in  new- 
ness of  life.  O  believer,  when,  under  great  temp- 
tation, thou  fearest  that  thou  shalt  one  day  fall  by 
the  hand  of  the  enemy,  let  this  re-assure  thee. 
Thou  shalt  never  lose  thy  spiritual  life,  for  it  is  hid 
with  Christ  in  God.  Thou  dost  not  doubt  the 
immortality  of  thy  Lord  ;  therefore,  do  not  think 
that  he  will  let  thee  die,  since  thou  art  one  with 
him.  The  argument  for  thy  life  is  his  life,  and  of 
that  thou  canst  have  no  fear ;  wherefore  rest  in  thy 
living  Lord. 


Oct.  17.  iFnilf)'s  Cljcque  Book.  291 

''^He  lliat  fearcth  the  commandment  shall  be  reti.' aided." 
I'rov.  xiii.  13. 

1"  OLY  awe  of  God's  Word  is  at  a  great  dis- 


II 


the  Word  of  the  Lord,  and  sit  in  judgment  upon  it. 
"  So  did  not  I,  because  of  the  fear  of  God."  We 
accept  the  inspired  Book  as  infalHble,  and  prove 
our  esteem  by  our  obedience.  We  have  no  terror 
of  the  Word,  but  we  have  a  filial  awe  of  it.  We 
are  not  in  fear  of  its  penalties,  because  we  have  a 
fear  of  its  commands. 

This  holy  fear  of  the  commandment  produces  the 
restfulness  of  humility,  which  is  far  sweeter  than 
the  recklessness  of  pride.  It  becomes  a  guide  to 
us  in  our  movements  ;  a  drag  when  we  are  going 
down-hill,  and  a  stimulus  when  we  are  climbinsf  it. 
Preserved  from  evil  and  led  into  righteousness  by 
our  reverence  of  the  command,  we  gain  a  quiet 
conscience,  which  is  a  well  of  wine  ;  a  sense  of 
freedom  from  responsibility,  which  is  as  life  from 
the  dead  ;  and  a  confidence  of  pleasing  God,  which 
is  heaven  below.  The  ungodly  may  ridicule  our 
deep  reverence  for  the  Word  of  the  Lord  ;  but 
what  of  that  ?  The  prize  of  our  high  calling  is 
a  sufficient  consolation  for  us.  The  rewards  of 
obedience  make  us  scorn  the  scorning  of  the 
scorner. 


292  iFaillj's  Cfjtquc  JSaok.  Oct.  18 

^^They  thai  sow  in  tears  shall  reap  in  Joy." — Ps.  cxxvi.  5. 

WEEPING  times  are  suitable  for  sowing:  we 
do  not  want  the  ground  to  be  too  dry. 
Seed  steeped  in  the  tears  of  earnest  anxiety  will 
come  up  all  the  sooner.  The  salt  of  prayerful  tears 
will  give  the  good  seed  a  flavour  which  will  preserve 
it  from  the  worm  :  truth  spoken  in  awful  earnest- 
ness has  a  double  life  about  it.  Instead  of  stopping 
our  sowing  because  of  our  weeping,  let  us  redouble 
our  efforts  because  the  season  is  so  propitious. 

Our  heavenly  seed  could  not  fitly  be  sown 
laughing.  Deep  sorrow  and  concern  for  the  souls 
of  others  are  a  far  more  fit  accompaniment  of 
godly  teaching  than  anything  like  levity.  We 
have  heard  of  men  who  went  to  war  with  a  light 
heart,  but  they  were  beaten  ;  and  it  is  mostly  so 
with  those  who  sow  in  the  same  style. 

Come,  then,  my  heart,  sow  on  in  thy  weeping, 
for  thou  hast  the  promise  of  a  joyful  harvest. 
Thou  shalt  reap.  Thou,  thyself,  shalt  see  some 
result  of  thy  labour.  This  shall  come  to  thee  in 
so  large  a  measure  as  to  give  thee  joy,  which  a 
poor,  withered,  and  scanty  harvest  would  not  do. 
When  thine  eyes  are  dim  with  silver  tears,  think  of 
the  golden  corn.  Bear  cheerfully  the  present  toil 
and  disappointment ;  for  the  harvest  day  will  fully 
recompense  thee. 


Oct.  19.  jpaillj'a  CIjrquE  Boolt.  293 

^^I  wiR  cornet  thee  in  measure.'' — jcr.  xxx.  11. 

TO  be  left  uncorrected  would  be  a  fatal  sign  : 
it  would  prove  that  the  Lord  had  said,  "  He 
is  given  unto  idols,  let  him  alcns."  God  grant 
that  such  may  never  be  our  portion !  Unin- 
terrupted prosperity  is  a  thing  to  cause  fear  and 
trembling.  As  many  as  God  tenderly  loves  he 
rebukes  and  chastens :  those  for  whom  he  has 
no  esteem  he  allows  to  fatten  themselves  without 
fear,  like  bullocks  for  the  slaughter.  It  is  in  love 
that  our  heavenly  Father  uses  the  rod  upon  his 
children. 

Yet  see,  the  correction  is  "  in  measure  "  :  he  gives 
us  love  without  measure,  but  chastisement  "  in 
measure."  As  under  the  old  law  no  Israelite  could 
receive  more  than  the  "  forty  stripes  save  one," 
which  ensured  careful  counting  and  limited  suffer- 
ing, so  is  it  with  each  afflicted  member  of  the 
household  of  faith — every  stroke  is  counted.  It  is 
the  measure  of  wisdom,  the  measure  of  sympathy, 
the  measure  of  love,  by  which  our  chastisement  is 
regulated.  Far  be  it  from  us  to  rebel  against 
appointments  so  divine.  Lord,  if  thou  standest 
by  to  measure  the  bitter  drops  into  my  cup,  it 
is  for  me  cheerfully  to  take  that  cup  from  thy 
hand,  and  drink  according  to  thy  directions,  saying 
"  Thy  will  be  done." 


294  iFaitlj's  Cljrquc  Ijooh.  Oct.  20. 

"//^  shall  save  his  pen pU  from  their  sins." — Matt.  i.  21. 

LORD,  save  me  from  my  sin.s.  By  thy  name  of 
Jesus  I  am  encouraged  thus  to  pray.  Save 
me  from  my  past  sins,  that  the  habit  of  them  may 
not  hold  me  captive.  Save  me  from  my  constitu- 
tional sins,  that  I  may  not  be  the  slave  of  my  own 
weaknesses.  Save  me  from  the  sins  which  are  con- 
tinually under  my  eye  that  I  may  not  lose  my 
horror  of  them.  Save  me  from  secret  sins  ;  sins 
unperceivcd  by  me  from  my  want  of  light.  Save 
me  from  sudden  and  surprising  sins:  let  me  not 
be  carried  off  my  feet  by  a  rush  of  temptation. 
Save  me,  Lord,  from  every  sin.  Let  not  any 
iniquity  have  dominion  over  me. 

Thou  alone  canst  do  this.  I  cannot  snap  my 
own  chains  or  slay  my  own  enemies.  Thou 
knowest  temptation,  for  thou  wast  tempted.  Thou 
knowest  sin,  for  thou  didst  bear  the  weight  of  it. 
Thou  knowest  how  to  succour  me  in  my  hour  of 
conflict.  Thou  canst  save  me  from  sinning,  and 
save  me  when  I  have  sinned.  It  is  promised  in  thy 
very  name  that  thou  wilt  do  this,  and  I  pray  thee 
let  me  this  da}^  verify  the  prophecy.  Let  me  not 
give  way  to  temper,  or  pride,  or  despondency,  or 
any  form  of  evil  ;  but  do  thou  save  me  unto 
holiness  of  life,  that  thy  name  of  Jesus  may  be 
g'.orihcd  in  me  abundantly. 


Oct  21.  jFnitfj'g  (Cf)cqiic  Cook.  295 

"A  little  otte  shall  become  a  thousand,  and  a  small  o-  e 
a  strong  nation :  I  the  Lord  ivill  hasten  it  in  his  time" 
la.  Ix.  22. 

WORKS  for  the  Lord  often  begin  on  a  small 
scale,  and  they  are  none  the  worse  for  this. 
Feebleness  educates  faith,  brings  God  near,  and 
wins  giory  for  his  name.  Prize  promises  of  increase, 
^lustard  seed  is  the  smallest  among  seeds,  and  )-ct 
it  becomes  a  tree-like  plant,  with  branches  which 
lodge  the  birds  of  heaven.  We  may  begin  with 
one, and  that  "a  little  one,"  and  yet  it  will  "become 
a  thousand."  The  Lord  is  great  at  the  multiplica- 
tion table.  How  often  did  he  say  to  his  lone 
servant,  "  I  will  multiply  thee  "  !  Trust  in  the  Lord, 
ye  ones  and  twos  ;  for  he  will  be  in  the  midst  of 
you  if  you  are  gathered  in  his  name. 

"  A  small  one."  What  can  be  more  despicable 
in  the  eyes  of  those  who  count  heads  and  weigh 
forces !  yet  this  is  the  nucleus  of  a  great  nation. 
Only  one  star  shines  out  at  first  in  the  evening,  but 
soon  the  sky  is  crowded  with  countless  lights 

Nor  need  we  think  the  prospect  of  increase  to  be 
remote,  for  the  promise  is,  "  I  Jehovah  will  hasten 
it  in  his  time."  There  will  be  no  premature  haste, 
like  that  which  we  sec  at  excited  meetings;  it  will 
be  all  in  due  time  ;  but  yet  tl.ere  will  be  no  delay  ; 
When  the  Lord  hastens,  his  speed  is  glorious. 


296  iraitlj's  (CI)fquc  Baolt.  Oct.  22. 

'■'■Thou,    O  Lord  God,  hast  spoken  it:    and  with  thy 
b/essi/ig  let  the  house  of  thy  servant  be  blessed  for  ever" 
2  Sam.  vii.  29. 

THIS  i.s  a  promise  pleaded,  and  so  it  yields 
double  instruction  to  us.  Anything  which 
the  Lord  God  has  spoken  we  should  receive  as 
surely  true,  and  then  plead  it  at  the  throne. 

Oh,  how  sweet  to  quote  what  our  own  God  has 
spoken  !  How  precious  to  use  a  "  therefore  "  which 
the  promise  suggests,  as  David  does  in  this  verse  ! 

We  do  not  pray  because  we  doubt,  but  because 
we  believe.  To  pray  unbelievingly  is  unbecoming 
in  the  Lord's  children.  No,  Lord,  we  cannot  doubt 
thee  :  we  are  persuaded  that  every  word  of  thine  is 
a  sure  foundation  for  the  boldest  expectation.  We 
come  to  thee  and  say,  "  Do  as  thou  hast  said." 
Bless  thy  servants'  house.  Heal  our  sick  ;  save  our 
hesitating  ones  ;  restore  those  who  wander  ;  confirm 
those  who  live  in  thy  fear.  Lord,  give  us  food  and 
raiment  according  to  thy  word.  Prosper  our  under- 
takings ;  especially  succeed  our  endeavours  to  make 
known  thy  gospel  in  our  neighbourhood.  Make  our 
servants  thy  servants,  our  children  thy  children. 
Let  the  blessing  flow  on  to  future  generations,  and 
as  long  as  any  of  our  race  remains  on  earth  may 
they  remain  true  to  thee.  O  Lord  God  "  let  the 
house  of  thy  servant  be  blessed." 


Oct.  23.  iFaitlj'g  Cbfquc  Book.  297 

^^ Light  is  sown  for  the  righteous,  and  gladness  for  the 
upright  in  heart." — Ps.  xcvii.  11. 

RIGHTEOUSNESS  is  often  costly  to  the  man 
who  keeps  to  it  at  all  hazards,  but  in  the 
end  it  will  bear  its  own  expenses,  and  return  an 
infinite  profit.  A  holy  life  is  like  sowing  seed  : 
much  is  going  out,  and  apparently  it  is  buried  in 
the  soil,  never  to  be  gathered  up  again.  We  are 
mistaken  when  we  look  for  an  immediate  harvest; 
but  the  error  is  very  natural,  for  it  seems  impossible 
to  bury  light.  Yet  light  is  "sown,"  says  the  text. 
It  lies  latent :  none  can  see  it,  it  is  sown.  We  are 
quite  sure  that  it  must  one  day  manifest  itself 

Full  sure  are  we  that  the  Lord  has  set  a  harvest 
for  the  sowers  of  light,  and  they  shall  reap  it,  each 
man  for  himself.  Then  shall  come  their  gladness. 
Sheaves  of  joy  for  seeds  of  light.  Their  heart  was 
upright  before  the  Lord,  though  men  gave  them  no 
credit  for  it,  but  even  censured  them  :  they  were 
righteous,  though  those  about  them  denounced  them 
as  censorious.  They  had  to  wait,  as  husbandmen 
wait  for  the  precious  fruits  of  the  earth  :  but  the 
light  was  sown  for  them,  and  gladness  was  being 
prepared  on  their  behalf  by  the  Lord  of  the  harvest. 

Courage,  brothers !  we  need  not  be  in  a  hurry. 
Let  us  in  patience  possess  our  souls,  for  soon  shall 
our  souls  possess  light  and  gladness. 


298  iFaitIj*3  Cljcque  Boolt.  Oct.  24. 

'^And  I  will  make  thee  unto  this  people  a  fenced  brazen 
wall:  and  they  shall Jii^ht  against  thee,  but  they  shall  7iot 
prevail  against  thee :  for  I  am  with  thee  to  save  thee  and 
to  deliver  thee,  saith  the  Lord."—'^tr.  xv.  20. 

STABILITY  in  the  fear  and  faith  of  God  will 
make  a  man  like  a  wall  of  brass,  which  no 
one  can  batter  down  or  break.  Only  the  Lord 
can  make  such  ;  but  we  need  such  men  in  the 
church,  and  in  the  world,  but  specially  in  the  pulpit. 

Against  uncompromising  men  of  truth  this  age 
of  shams  will  fight  tooth  and  nail.  Nothing  seems 
to  offend  Satan  and  his  seed  like  decision.  They 
attack  holy  firmness  even  as  the  Assyrians  besieged 
fenced  cities.  The  joy  is  that  they  cannot  prevail 
against  those  whom  God  has  made  strong  in  his 
strength.  Carried  about  with  every  wind  of  doc- 
trine, others  only  need  to  be  blown  upon,  and  away 
they  go  ;  but  those  who  love  the  doctrines  of  grace, 
because  they  possess  the  grace  of  the  doctrines, 
stand  like  rocks  in  the  midst  of  raging  seas. 

Whence  this  stability ?  "I  am  with  thee,  saith 
the  Lord":  that  is  the  true  answer.  Jehovah  will 
save  and  deliver  faithful  souls  from  all  the  assaults 
of  the  adversary.  Hosts  are  against  us,  but  the 
Lord  of  hosts  is  with  us.  We  dare  not  budge  an 
inch  ;  for  the  Lord  himself  holds  us  in  our  place, 
and  there  we  will  abide  for  ever. 


Oct.  25.  Sfai{\)'&  CfjcqiiE  Boolt.  299 

'^But  seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  his  righteous- 
ness ;    and  all  t/iese  things  shall  be  added   unto  you." 
Matt.  vi.  33. 

SEE  how  the  Bible  opens :  "  In  the  beginning 
God."  Let  your  life  open  in  the  same  way. 
Seek  with  your  whole  soul,  first  and  foremost,  the 
kingdom  of  God,  as  the  place  of  your  citizenship, 
and  his  righteousness  as  the  character  of  your  life. 
As  for  the  rest,  it  will  come  from  the  Lord  himself 
without  your  being  anxious  concerning  it.  All  that 
is  needful  for  this  life  and  godliness  "shall  be  added 
unto  you." 

What  a  promise  this  is!  Food,  raiment,  home, 
and  so  forth,  God  undertakes  to  add  to  you  while 
you  seek  him.  You  mind  his  business,  and  he  will 
mind  yours.  If  you  want  paper  and  string,  you 
get  them  given  in  when  you  buy  more  important 
goods  ;  and  just  so  all  that  we  need  of  earthly 
things  v.-e  shall  have  thrown  in  with  the  kingdom. 
He  who  is  an  heir  of  salvation  shall  not  die  of 
starvation;  and  he  who  clothes  his  soul  with  the 
righteousness  of  God  cannot  be  left  of  the  Lord 
with  a  naked  body.  Away  with  carking  care.  Set 
all  your  mind  upon  seeking  the  Lord.  Covetous- 
ness  is  poverty,  and  anxiety  is  misery  :  trust  in 
God  is  an  estate,  and  likeness  to  God  is  a  heavenly 
inheritance.     Lord,  I  seek  thee,  be  found  of  me. 


300  i)FaitIj*0  Cljequc  JSook.  Oct.  ?5. 


'''■For  the  elect" s  sake  those  days  shall  he  shortened.^' 
Matt.  xxiv.  22. 


FOR  the  sake  of  his  elect  the  Lord  withholds 
many  judgments,  and  shortens  others.  In 
great  tribulations  the  fire  would  devour  all  were 
it  not  that  out  of  regard  to  his  elect  the  Lord 
damps  the  flame.  Thus,  while  he  saves  his  elect 
for  the  sake  of  Jesus,  he  also  preserves  the  race  for 
the  sake  of  his  chosen. 

What  an  honour  is  thus  put  upon  saints!  How 
diligently  they  ought  to  use  their  influence  with 
their  Lord  !  He  will  hear  their  prayers  for  sinners, 
and  bless  their  efforts  for  their  salvation.  He 
blesses  believers  that  they  may  be  a  blessing  to 
those  who  are  in  unbelief.  Many  a  sinner  lives 
because  of  the  prayers  of  a  mother,  or  wife,  or 
daughter,  to  whom  the  Lord  has  respect. 

Have  we  used  aright  the  singular  power  with 
which  the  Lord  entrusts  us  ?  Do  we  pray  for  our 
country,  for  other  lands,  and  for  the  age?  Do  we, 
in  times  of  war,  famine,  pestilence,  stand  out  as  inter- 
cessors, pleading  that  the  days  may  be  shortened  ? 
Do  we  lament  before  God  the  outbursts  of  in- 
fidelity, error,  and  licentiousness?  Do  we  beseech 
our  Lord  Jesus  to  shorten  the  reign  of  sin  by 
hastening  his  own  glorious  appearing?  Let  us  get 
to  our  knees,  and  never  rest  till  Christ  appearetli. 


Oct.  27.  JFailI)'3  C5:que  33ooU.  301 

'*/^/V  striants  shall  serve  him :  and  they  shall  see  his 
face  ;  and  his  namcsluilL  be  in  Iheirforeheads. '' — Rev.  xxii.  3, 4. 

THREE  choice  blessings  will  be  ours  in  the 
glory  land. 

''//is  servants  shall  serve  hivi"  No  other  lords 
shall  oppress  us,  no  other  service  shall  distress  us. 
We  shall  serve  Jesus  always,  perfectly,  without 
weariness,  and  without  error.  This  is  heaven  to  a 
saint :  in  all  things  to  serve  the  Lord  Christ,  and 
to  be  owned  by  him  as  his  servant  is  our  soul's 
high  ambition  for  eternity. 

''And  they  shall  see  his  face."  This  makes  the 
service  delightful  :  indeed,  it  is  the  present  reward 
of  service.  We  shall  know  our  Lord,  for  we  shall 
see  him  as  he  is.  To  see  the  face  of  Jesus  is  the 
utmost  favour  that  the  most  faithful  servant  of  the 
Lord  can  ask.  What  more  could  Moses  ask  than — 
"  Let  me  see  thy  face  "  ? 

''And  his  name  shall  be  in  their  foreheads."  They 
gaze  upon  their  Lord  till  his  name  is  photographed 
upon  their  brows.  They  are  acknowledged  by  him, 
and  they  acknowlege  him.  The  .secret  mark  of 
inward  grace  develops  into  the  public  sign-manual 
of  confessed  relationship. 

O  Lord,  give  us  these  three  things  in  their 
beginnings  here,  that  we  may  possess  them  in  their 
fulness  in  thine  own  abode  of  bliss  1 


302  Jaitb's  Cf)cqu£  Book,  Oct.  28. 

"And  it  shall  beforgk'en  t/ie?n  ;  for  it  is  igtwrance." 
Num.  XV.  25. 

BECAUSE  of  our  ignorance  we  are  not  fully 
aware  of  our  sins  of  ignorance.  Yet  we  may 
be  sure  they  are  many,  in  the  form  both  of  com- 
mission and  omission.  We  may  be  doing  in  all 
sincerity,  as  a  service  to  God,  that  which  he  has 
never  commanded,  and  can  never  accept. 

The  Lord  knows  these  sins  of  ignorance  every 
one.  This  may  well  alarm  us,  since  in  justice  he 
will  require  these  trespasses  at  our  hand  ;  but  on 
the  other  hand,  faith  spies  comfort  in  this  fact, 
for  the  Lord  will  see  to  it  that  stains  unseen  by  us 
shall  yet  be  washed  away.  He  sees  the  sin  that  he 
may  cease  to  see  it  by  casting  it  behind  his  back. 

Our  great  comfort  is  that  Jesus,  the  true  priest, 
has  made  atonement  for  all  the  congregation  of 
the  children  of  Israel.  That  atonement  secures  the 
pardon  of  unknown  sins.  His  precious  blood 
cleanses  us  from  all  sin.  Whether  our  eyes  have 
seen  it  and  wept  over  it,  or  not,  God  has  seen  it, 
Christ  has  atoned  for  it,  the  Spirit  bears  witness  to 
the  pardon  of  it,  and  so  we  have  a  threefold  peace. 

O  my  Father,  I  praise  thy  divine  knowledge, 
which  not  only  perceives  my  iniquities,  but  pro- 
vides an  atonement  which  delivers  me  from  the 
guilt  of  them,  even  before  I  know  that  I  am  guilty 


Oct.  29.  JFaitb's  CTljcque  Book.  303 


^' And  I  will  put  a  division  between  my  people  and  thy 
people  :  to-morrow  shall  this  sign  be." — Ex.  viii.  23. 


PHARAOH  has  a  people,  and  the  Lord  has  a 
people.  These  may  dwell  together,  and  seem 
to  fare  alike,  but  there  is  a  division  between  them, 
and  the  Lord  will  make  it  apparent.  Not  for  ever 
shall  one  event  happen  alike  to  all,  but  there  shall 
be  great  difference  between  the  men  of  the  world 
and  the  people  of  Jehovah's  choice. 

This  may  happen  in  the  time  of  judgments,  when 
the  Lord  becomes  the  sanctuary  of  his  saints.  It 
is  very  conspicuous  in  the  conversion  of  believers 
when  their  sin  is  put  away,  while  unbelievers  remain 
under  condemnation.  From  that  moment  they 
become  a  distinct  race,  come  under  a  new  discipline, 
and  enjoy  new  blessings.  Their  homes,  henceforth, 
are  free  from  the  grievous  swarms  of  evils  which 
defile  and  torment  the  Egyptians.  They  are  kept 
from  the  pollution  of  lust,  the  bite  of  care,  the 
corruption  of  falsehood,  and  the  cruel  torment  of 
hatred,  which  devour  many  families. 

Rest  assured,  tried  believer,  that  though  you  have 
your  troubles  you  are  saved  from  swarn)s  of  worse 
ones,  which  infest  the  homes  and  heaits  of  tiie 
servants  of  the  world's  Prince.  The  Lord  has  put 
a  division  ;  see  to  it  that  you  keep  up  the  division 
in  spirit,  aim,  character  and  company. 


3u4  iFaitlj's  CDf)cquE  33aoft.  Oct.  30. 

'''■Then  will  I  sprinkle  clean  7vater  upon  you,  and  ye 
shall  be  dean  :  from  all  your  filthiness,  and  from  all  your 
idols,  will  I  cleanse  you.''' — Ez.  xxxvi.  25. 

WHAT  an  exceeding  joy  is  this !  He  who 
has  purified  us  with  the  blood  of  Jesus 
will  also  cleanse  us  by  the  water  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
God  hath  said  it,  and  so  it  must  be,  "  Ye  shall  be 
clean."  Lord,  we  feel  and  mourn  our  uncleanness, 
and  it  is  cheering  to  be  assured  by  thine  own  mouth 
that  we  shall  be  clean.  Oh  that  thou  wouldst  make 
a  speedy  work  of  it ! 

He  will  deliver  us  from  our  worst  sins.  The 
uprisings  of  unbelief,  and  the  deceitful  lusts  which 
war  against  the  soul,  the  vile  thoughts  of  pride,  and 
the  suggestions  of  Satan  to  blaspheme  the  sacred 
name — all  these  shall  be  so  purged  away  as  never 
to  return. 

He  wall  also  cleanse  us  from  all  our  idols,  whether 
of  gold  or  of  clay  :  our  impure  loves,  and  our  ex- 
cessive love  of  that  which  in  itself  is  pure.  That 
which  we  have  idolized  shall  either  be  broken 
from  us,  or  we  shall  be  broken  off  from  it. 

It  is  God  who  speaks  of  what  he  himself  will  do. 
Therefore  is  this  word  established  and  sure,  and 
we  may  boldly  look  for  that  which  it  guarantees 
to  us.  Cleansing  is  a  covenant  blessing,  and  the 
covenant  is  ordered  in  all  things  and  sure. 


Oct.  31.  Jaillj's  Gljfque  Boolt.  305 

''I  shall  not  die,  but  lire,  and  declare  the  works  of  the 
Lord.'' — rs.  cxviii.  17. 

A  FAIR  assurance  this  !  It  was  no  doubt  based 
upon  a  promise,  inwardly  whispered  in  the 
Psalmist's  heart,  which  he  seized  upon  and  enjoyed. 
Is  my  case  like  that  of  David  ?  Am  I  depressed 
because  the  enemy  insults  over  me?  Are  there 
multitudes  against  me,  and  few  on  my  side  ?  Does 
unbelief  bid  me  lie  down  and  die  in  despair — a 
defeated,  dishonoured  man  ?  Do  my  enemies  begin 
to  dig  my  grave  ? 

What  then  ?  Shall  I  yield  to  the  whisper  of 
fear,  and  give  up  the  battle,  and  with  it  give  up  all 
hope?  Far  from  it.  There  is  life  in  me  yet:  "I 
shall  not  die."  Vigour  will  return  and  remove  my 
weakness :  "  I  shall  live."  The  Lord  lives,  and  I 
shall  live  also.  My  mouth  shall  again  be  opened  : 
"  I  shall  declare  the  works  of  Jehovah."  Yes,  and 
I  shall  speak  of  the  present  trouble  as  another  in- 
stance of  the  wonder-working  faithfulness  and  love 
of  the  Lord  my  God.  Those  who  would  gladly 
measure  me  for  my  coffin  had  better  wa't  a  bit ; 
for  "  the  Lord  hath  chastened  me  sore,  but  he 
hath  not  given  me  over  unto  death."  Glory  be  to 
his  name  for  ever !  I  am  immortal  till  my  work  is 
done.  Till  the  Lord  wills  it  no  vault  can  clo.se 
upon  me. 


3o6  i^aitb's  CTbcque  Book.  Nov.  i. 

''''Faithful  is  he  that  calleth  you,  who  also  will  do  it." 
I  Thess.  V.  24. 

J/J/  H  A  T  zuill  he  dof  He  will  sanctify  us 
wholly.  See  the  previous  verse.  He  will 
carry  on  the  work  of  purification  till  we  are  perfect 
in  every  part.  He  will  preserve  our  "  whole  spirit, 
and  soul,  and  body,  blameless  unto  the  coming  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  He  will  not  allow  us  to 
fall  from  grace,  nor  come  under  the  dominion  of  sin. 
What  great  favours  are  these  !  Well  may  we  adore 
the  giver  of  such  unspeakable  gifts. 

Who  will  do  this  ?  The  Lord  who  has  called  us 
out  of  darkness  into  his  marvellous  light,  out  of 
death  in  sin  into  eternal  life  in  Christ  Jesus.  Only 
he  can  do  this  :  such  perfection  and  preservation 
can  only  come  from  the  God  of  all  grace. 

Why  ivill  lie  do  it?  Because  he  is  "  faithful" — - 
faithful  to  his  own  promise  which  is  pledged  to 
save  the  believer;  faithful  to  his  Son,  whose  reward 
it  is  that  his  people  shall  be  presented  to  him 
faultless  ;  faithful  to  the  work  which  he  has  com- 
menced in  us  by  our  effectual  calling.  It  is  not 
their  own  faithfulness,  but  the  Lord's  own  faith- 
fulness, on  which  the  saints  rely. 

Come,  my  soul,  here  is  a  grand  feast  to  begin 
a  dull  month  with.  There  may  be  fogs  without, 
but  there  should  be  sunshine  within. 


Nov.  2.  JFaitf)'0  Cfjequc  13ook.  3071 

"No  good  thing  will  he  withhold  from  them  that  walk 
uprightly." — Ps.  Ixxxiv.  11. 

MANY  pleasing  things  the  Lord  may  with- 
hold, but  "  no  good  thing."  He  is  the  best 
judge  of  what  is  good  for  us.  Some  things  are 
assuredly  good,  and  these  we  may  have  for  the 
asking  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

Holiness  is  a  good  thing,  and  this  he  will  work 
in  us  freely.  Victory  over  evil  tendencies,  strong 
tempers,  and  evil  habits,  he  will  gladly  grant, 
and  we  ought  not  to  remain  without  it. 

Full  assurance  he  will  bestow,  and  near  coni- 
viunion  with  himself,  and  access  into  all  truth,  and 
boldness  with  prevalence  at  the  mercy  seat.  If  we 
have  not  these,  it  is  from  want  of  faith  to  receive 
and  not  from  any  unwillingness  of  God  to  give. 
A  calm,  a  heavenly  frame,  great  patience,  and 
fervent  love — all  these  will  he  give  to  holy  diligence. 

But  note  well  that  we  must  "  walk  uprightly." 
There  must  be  no  cross  purposes  and  crooked 
dealings;  no  hypocrisy  nor  deceit.  If  we  walk 
foully  God  cannot  give  us  favours,  for  that  would 
be  a  premium  upon  sin.  The  way  of  uprightness 
is  the  way  of  heavenly  wealth — wealth  so  large 
as  to  include  every  good  thing. 

What  a  promise  to  plead  in  prayer  !  Let  us  get 
to  our  knees. 


3o8  iFattfi's  C()£quE  Book.  Nov.  3. 

'■'■For  the  vision  is  yet  for  an  appointed  time,  but  at  the 
end  it  shall  speak,  and  not  lie :  though  it  tarry,  wait  for 
it ;  because  it  will  surely  come,  it  will  not  tarry  T —  Hab.  ii.  3. 

MERCY  may  seem  slow,  but  it  is  sure.  The 
Lord  in  unfailing  wisdom  has  appointed  a 
time  for  the  outgoings  of  his  gracious  power,  and 
God's  time  is  the  best  time.  We  are  in  a  hurry  ; 
the  vision  of  the  blessing  excites  our  desire,  and 
hastens  our  longings ;  but  the  Lord  will  keep  his 
appointments.  He  never  is  before  his  time;  he 
never  is  behind. 

God's  word  is  here  spoken  of  as  a  living  thing 
Avhich  will  speak,  and  will  come.  It  is  never  a  dead 
letter,  as  we  are  tempted  to  fear  when  we  have  long 
watched  for  its  fulfilment.  The  living  Vvord  is 
on  the  way  from  the  living  God,  and  though  it  may 
seem  to  linger,  it  is  not  in  reality  doing  so.  God's 
train  is  not  behind  time.  It  is  only  a  matter  of 
patience,  and  we  shall  soon  see  for  ourselves  the 
faithfulness  of  the  Lord.  No  promise  of  his  shall 
fail;  "it  will  not  lie."  No  promise  of  his  will  be  lost 
in  silence  ;  "it  shall  speak."  What  comfort  it  will 
speak  to  the  believing  ear  !  No  promise  of  his  shall 
need  to  be  renewed  like  a  bill  which  could  not  be  paid 
on  the  day  in  which  it  fell  due — "  it  will  not  tarry." 

Come,  my  soul,  canst  thou  not  wait  for  thy  God  } 
Rest  in  him  and  be  still  in  unutterable  peacefulness. 


Nov.  4.  jFaitb's  Cheque  Booft.  309 

^'And  he  said.  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  Make  this  valley 
full  of  ditches.  For  thus  sailh  the  Lord,  Ye  shall  not  see 
wind,  neither  shall  ye  see  rain ;  yet  that  valley  shall  be 
filled  with  water,  that  ye  may  drink,  both  ye,  and  your 
cattle,  and  your  beasts." — 2  Kings  iii.  16,  17. 

THREE  armies  were  perishing  of  thirst,  and 
the  Lord  interposed.  Although  he  sent 
neither  cloud  nor  rain,  yet  he  supplied  an  abun- 
dance of  water.  He  is  not  dependent  upon 
ordinary  methods,  but  can  surprise  his  people  with 
novelties  of  wisdom  and  power.  Thus  are  we 
made  to  see  more  of  God  than  ordinary  processes 
could  have  revealed.  Although  the  Lord  may 
not  appear  for  us  in  the  way  we  expect,  or  desire, 
or  suppose,  yet  he  will  in  some  way  or  other  pro- 
vide for  us.  It  is  a  great  blessing  for  us  to  be 
raised  above  looking  to  secondary  causes,  so  that 
we  may  gaze  into  the  face  of  the  great  First  Cause. 
Have  we  this  day  grace  enough  to  make  trenches 
into  which  the  divine  blessing  may  flow?  Alas! 
we  too  often  fail  in  the  exhibition  of  true  and 
practical  faith.  Let  us  this  day  be  on  the  outlook 
for  answers  to  prayer.  As  the  child  who  went 
to  a  meeting  to  pray  for  rain  took  an  umbrella  with 
her  ;  so  let  us  truly  and  practically  expect  the  Lord 
to  bless  us.  Let  us  make  the  valley  full  of  ditches 
and  expect  to  sec  them  all  filled. 


3 TO  JFa(tI)*3  CCfjcque  Baolt.  Nov.  5. 

^^ 1 71.1  ill  not  contend  for  ever,  tieither  will  I  be  always 
wroth  :  for  the  spirit  should  fail  before  me,  and  the  souls 
which  I  have  made." — isa.  Ivii.  16. 

OUR  heavenly  Father  seeks  our  instruction, not 
our  destruction.  His  contention  with  us  has 
a  kind  intention  toivards  us.  He  will  not  be  always 
in  arms  against  us.  We  think  the  Lord  is  long  in 
his  chastisements,  but  that  is  because  we  are  short 
in  our  patience.  His  compassion  endureth  for  ever, 
but  not  his  contention.  The  night  may  drag  its 
weary  length  along,  but  it  must  in  the  end  give 
place  to  cheerful  day.  As  contention  is  only  for  a 
season,  so  the  wrath  which  leads  to  it  is  only  for  a 
small  moment.  The  Lord  loves  his  chosen  too 
well  to  be  always  angry  with  them. 

If  he  were  to  deal  with  us  always  as  he  does 
sometimes  we  should  faint  outright,  and  go  down 
hopelessly  to  the  gates  of  death.  Courage,  dear 
heart !  the  Lord  will  soon  end  his  chiding.  Bear 
up,  for  the  Lord  will  bear  you  up,  and  bear  you 
through.  He  who  made  you  knows  how  frail  you 
are,  and  how  little  you  can  bear.  He  will  handle 
tenderly  that  which  he  has  fashioned  so  delicately. 
Therefore,  be  not  afraid  because  of  the  painful 
present,  for  it  hastens  to  a  happy  future.  He  that 
smote  you  will  heal  you  ;  his  little  wrath  shall  be 
followed  by  great  mercies. 


Nov.  6.  ifaltlj's  €f)cque  Booft.  311 

''Delight  thyself  also  in  the  Lord  ;  aiid  he  shall  give  thee 
the  desires  0/  thine  hearti'^  — Vs.  xxxvii.  4. 


DELIGHT  in  God  has  a  transforming  power, 
and  lifts  a  man  above  the  gross  desires  of 
our  fallen  nature.  Delight  in  Jehovah  is  not  only- 
sweet  in  itself,  but  it  sweetens  the  whole  soul,  till 
the  longings  of  the  heart  become  such  that  the 
Lord  can  safely  promise  to  fulfil  them.  Is  not 
that  a  grand  delight  which  moulds  our  desires  till 
they  are  like  the  desires  of  God  ? 

Our  foolish  way  is  to  desire,  and  then  set  to 
work  to  compass  what  we  desire.  We  do  not  go 
to  work  in  God's  way,  which  is  to  seek  him  first,  and 
then  expect  all  things  to  be  added  unto  us.  If  we 
will  let  our  heart  be  filled  with  God  till  it  runs  over 
with  delight,  then  the  Lord  himself  will  take  care 
that  we  shall  not  want  any  good  thing.  Instead 
of  going  abroad  for  joys  let  us  stay  at  home  with 
God,  and  drink  waters  out  of  our  own  fountain. 
He  can  do  for  us  far  more  than  all  our  friends.  It 
is  better  to  be  content  with  God  alone  than  to  go 
about  fretting  and  pining  for  the  paltry  trifles  of 
time  and  sense.  For  a  while  we  may  have  disappoint- 
ments ;  but  if  these  bring  us  nearer  to  the  Lord,  they 
are  things  to  be  prized  exceedingly,  for  they  will 
in  the  end  secure  to  us  the  fulfilment  of  all  our 
right  desires. 


312  Jaitlj's  €f)cque  Boolt.  Nov.  7. 

^'■He  that  humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted." — Luke  xviii  14. 

IT  ought  not  to  be  difficult  for  us  to  humble 
ourselves,  for  what  have  we  to  be  proud  of? 
We  ought  to  take  the  lowest  place  without  being 
told  to  do  so.  If  we  are  sensible  and  honest  we 
shall  be  little  in  our  own  eyes.  Especially  before 
the  Lord  in  prayer  we  shall  shrink  to  nothing. 
There  we  cannot  speak  of  merit,  for  we  have  none: 
our  one  and  only  appeal  must  be  to  mercy :  "  God 
be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner." 

Here  is  a  cheering  word  from  the  throne.  We 
shall  be  exalted  by  the  Lord  if  we  humble  our- 
selves. For  us  the  way  upward  is  downhill.  When 
we  are  stripped  of  self  we  are  clothed  with  humility, 
and  this  is  the  best  of  wear.  The  Lord  will  exalt 
us  in  peace  and  happiness  of  mind  ;  he  will  exalt 
us  into  knowledge  of  his  Word  and  fellowship  with 
himself;  he  will  exalt  us  in  the  enjoyment  of  sure 
pardon  and  justification.  The  Lord  puts  his 
honours  upon  those  who  can  wear  them  to  the 
honour  of  the  giver.  He  gives  usefulness,  accept- 
ance, and  influence  to  those  who  will  not  be  puffed 
up  by  them,  but  will  be  abased  by  a  sense  of 
greater  responsibility.  Neither  God  nor  man  will 
care  to  lift  up  a  man  who  lifts  up  himself;  but  both 
God  and  good  men  unite  to  honour  modest  worth. 

O  Lord,  sink  me  in  self  that  I  may  rise  in  thee. 


Nov.  8.  jFaitlj's  Cljcquc  33och.  313 

^•Afy  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee:  for  my  strength  is  made 
perfect  in  7cicahness." — 2  Cor.  xii.  9. 

OUR  weakness  should  be  prized  as  making 
room  for  divine  strength.  We  might  never 
ha\e  known  the  power  of  grace  if  we  had  not  felt 
the  weakness  of  nature.  Blessed  be  the  Lord  for 
the  thorn  in  the  flesh,  and  the  messenger  of  Satan, 
when  they  drive  us  to  the  strength  of  God. 

This  is  a  precious  word  from  our  Lord's  own  lip. 
It  has  made  the  writer  laugh  for  joy.  God's  grace 
enough  for  me  !  I  should  think  it  is.  Is  not  the 
sky  enough  for  the  bird,  and  the  ocean  enough  for 
the  fish  ?  The  All-sufficient  is  sufficient  for  my 
largest  want.  He  who  is  sufficient  for  earth  and 
heaven  is  certainly  able  to  meet  the  case  of  one 
poor  worm  like  me. 

Let  us,  then,  fall  back  upon  our  God  and  his  grace. 
If  he  docs  not  remove  our  grief  he  will  enable  us  to 
bear  it  His  strength  shall  be  poured  into  us  till 
the  worm  shall  thresh  the  mountains;  and  a  nothing 
shall  be  victor  over  all  the  high  and  mighty  ones. 
It  is  better  for  us  to  have  God's  strength  than  our 
own ;  for  if  we  were  a  thousand  times  as  strong  as  we 
are,  it  would  all  amount  to  nothing  in  the  face  of  the 
enemy  ;  and  if  we  could  be  weaker  than  we  are, 
which  is  scarcely  possible,  }et  we  could  do  all 
things  throu-^,h  Christ 


314  iFaitlj's  Cljcque  13ack.  Nov.  9. 

''''Thus  shall  they  know  that  I  the  Lo'  d  their  God  am 
with  them,  and  that  they,  e<'en  the  house  of  Israel,  are  my 
people,  saith  the  Lord  God^ — E/.  xxxiv.  33. 


TO  be  the  Lord's  own  people  is  a  choice  blessing-, 
but  to  know  that  we  are  such  is  a  comfortable 
blessing.  It  is  one  thing  to  hope  that  God  is  with 
us,  and  another  thing  to  know  that  he  is  so.  Faith 
saves  us,  but  assurance  satisfies  us.  We  take  God 
to  be  our  God  when  we  believe  in  him;  but  we  get 
the  joy  of  him  when  we  know  that  he  is  ours,  and 
that  we  are  his.  No  believer  should  be  content 
with  hoping  and  trusting,  he  should  ask  the  Lord 
to  lead  him  on  to  full  assurance,  so  that  matters  of 
hope  may  become  matters  of  certainty. 

It  is  when  we  enjoy  covenant  blessings,  and  see 
our  Lord  Jesus  raised  up  for  us  as  a  plant  of 
renown,  that  we  come  to  a  clear  knowledge  of  the 
favour  of  God  towards  us.  Not  by  law,  but  by 
grace,  do  we  learn  that  we  are  the  Lord's  people. 
Let  us  always  turn  our  eyes  in  the  direction  of  free 
grace.  Assurance  of  faith  can  never  come  by  the 
works  of  the  law.  It  is  an  evangelical  virtue,  and 
can  only  reach  us  in  a  gospel  way.  Let  u,s  net 
look  within.  Let  us  look  to  the  Lord  alone.  As 
we  see  Jesus  we  shall  see  our  salvation. 

Lord,  send  us  such  a  flood-tide  of  thy  love  that  we 
shall  be  washed  beyond  the  mire  of  doubt  and  fear. 


Nov.  lo.  jl^aitlj'g  (Tljequc  Boclt.  315 

'''He  will  not  suffer  thy  foot  to  be  moved." — Ps.  cxxi.  3. 

IF  the  Lord  \\'\\\  not  suffer  it,  ncilhor  men  nor 
devils  can  do  it.  How  greatly  would  they 
rejoice  if  they  could  give  us  a  disgraceful  fall,  drive 
us  from  our  position,  and  bury  us  out  of  memory ! 
They  could  do  this  to  their  heart's  content  were  it 
not  for  one  hindrance,  and  only  one  :  the  Lord  will 
not  suffer  it;  and  if  he  does  not  suffer  it,  we  shall 
not  suffer  it. 

The  way  of  life  is  like  travelling  among  the  Alps. 
Along  mountain  paths  one  is  constantly  exposed  to 
the  slipping  of  the  foot.  Where  the  way  is  high  the 
head  is  apt  to  swim,  and  then  the  feet  soon  slide  : 
there  are  spots  which  are  smooth  as  glass,  and 
others  that  are  rough  with  loose  stones,  an'-l  in 
either  of  these  a  fall  is  hard  to  avoid.  He  who 
throughout  life  is  enabled  to  keep  himself  upright 
and  to  walk  without  stumbling  has  the  best  of 
reasons  for  gratitude.  What  with  pitfalls  and 
snares,  weak  knees,  weary  feet,  and  subtle  enemies, 
no  child  of  God  would  stand  fast  for  an  hour  were 
it  not  'for  the  faithful  love  which  will  not  suffer  his 
foot  to  be  moved. 

"Amidst  a  thousand  snares  I  stand 
Upheld  and  guarded  by  thy  hand  ; 
That  hand  unseen  shall  hold  me  still, 
And  lead  me  to  thy  holy  hill." 


3i6  5ail!)'s  dj£qu£  Boclt.  Nov.  ii 

^''For  sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over  you  :  for  ye  art 
not  under  the  law,  but  under  grace!' — Rom.  vi.  14. 

SIN  will  reign  if  it  can  :  it  cannot  be  satisfied 
with  any  place  below  the  throne  of  the  heart. 
We  sometimes  fear  that  it  will  conquer  us,  and 
then  we  cry  unto  the  Lord,  "  Let  not  any  iniquity 
have  dominion  over  me."  This  is  his  comforting 
answer,  "  Sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over  you." 
It  may  assail  you,  and  even  wound  you  ;  but  it  shall 
never  establish  sovereignty  over  you. 

If  we  were  under  the  law,  our  sin  would  gather 
strength  and  hold  us  under  its  power  ;  for  it  is  the 
punishment  of  sin  that  a  man  comes  under  the 
power  of  sin.  As  we  are  under  the  covenant  of 
grace,  we  are  secured  against  departing  from  the 
living  God  by  the  sure  declaration  of  the  covenant. 
Grace  is  promised  to  us,  by  which  we  are  restored 
from  our  wanderings,  cleansed  from  our  impurities, 
and  set  free  from  the  chains  of  habit. 

We  might  lie  down  in  despair  and  be  "  content  to 
serve  the  Egyptians "  if  we  were  still  as  slaves 
working  for  eternal  life  ;  but  since  we  are  the  Lord's 
free  men,  we  take  courage  to  fight  with  our  cor- 
ruptions and  temptations,  being  assured  that  sin 
shall  never  bring  us  under  its  sway  again.  God 
himself  giveth  us  the  victory  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  to  whom  be  glory  for  ever  and  ever.   Amca 


Nov.  12.  JFaitlj's  Cljcqiic  13ooTt.  317 

"J/)'  people  shall  be  satisfied  ivith  vty  goodness,  saith  the 
Lord" — Jer.  xxxi.  14. 

NOTE  the  "my"  which  comes  twice:  ''My 
people  shall  be  satisfied  with  my  goodness." 

The  kind  of  people  who  are  satisfied  wiih  God 
are  marked  out  as  God's  own.  He  is  pleased  with 
them,  for  they  are  pleased  with  him.  They  call 
him  their  God,  and  he  calls  them  his  people  ;  he  is 
satisfied  to  take  them  for  a  portion,  and  they  are 
satisfied  with  him  for  their  portion.  There  is  a 
mutual  communion  of  delight  between  God's  Israel 
and  Israel's  God. 

These  people  are  satisfied.  This  is  a  grand  thing. 
Very  few  of  the  sons  of  men  are  ever  satisfied,  let 
their  lot  be  what  it  may;  they  have  swallowed  the 
horse-leech,  and  it  continually  cries,  "  Give  !  give  !" 
Only  sanctified  souls  are  satisfied  souls.  God  him- 
self must  both  convert  us  and  content  us. 

It  is  no  wonder  that  the  Lord's  people  should  be 
satisfied  with  the  goodness  of  their  Lord.  Here 
is  goodness  without  mixture,  bounty  without  stint, 
mercy  without  chiding,  love  without  change,  favour 
without  reserve.  If  God's  goodness  does  not  satisfy 
us,  what  will?  What!  are  we  still  groaning? 
Surely  there  is  a  wrong  desire  within  if  it  be  one 
which  God's  goodness  does  not  satisfy. 

Lord,  1  am  satisfied.     Elessed  be  thy  name. 


31 8  JFailb's  Cheque  Boofe  Nov.  13. 

^'■Behold,  he  that  keepeth  Israel  shall  neither  slumber  nor 
sleep." — Ps.  cxxi.  4. 

T  EHOVAH  is  "the  Keeper  of  Israel"  No  form 
•'  of  unconsciousness  ever  steals  over  him,  neither 
the  deeper  slumber  nor  the  slighter  sleep.  He 
never  fails  to  watch  the  house  and  the  heart  of  his 
people.  This  is  a  sufficient  reason  for  our  resting 
in  perfect  peace.  Alexander  said  that  he  slept 
because  his  friend  Parmenio  watched  ;  much  more 
may  we  sleep  because  our  God  is  our  guard. 

"  Behold  "  is  here  set  up  to  call  our  attention  to 
the  cheering  truth.  Israel,  when  he  had  a  stone  for 
his  pillow,  fell  asleep  ;  but  his  God  was  awake,  and 
came  in  vision  to  his  servant.  When  we  lie  defence- 
less, Jehovah  himself  will  cover  our  head. 

The  Lord  keeps  his  people  as  a  rich  man  keeps 
his  treasure,  as  a  captain  keeps  a  city  with  a  garri- 
son, as  a  sentry  keeps  watch  over  his  sovereign. 
None  can  harm  those  who  are  in  such  keeping. 
Let  me  put  my  soul  into  his  dear  hands.  He  never 
forgets  us,  never  ceases  actively  to  care  for  us,  never 
finds  himself  unable  to  preserve  us. 

O  my  Lord,  keep  me,  lest  I  wander  and  fall 
and  perish.  Keep  me,  that  I  may  keep  thy  com- 
mandments. By  thine  unslumbering  care  prevent 
my  sleeping  like  the  sluggard,  and  perishing  like 
those  who  sleep  the  sleep  of  death. 


Nov.  14.  5aitl)'s  (CijrquE  Booh.  319 

^''If  ye  shall  ask  any  filing  in  my  name,  I  will  do  it." 

Jolin  xiv.  14. 

WHAT  a  wide  promise  !  Anything  !  Whether 
large  or  small,  all  my  needs  are  covered 
by  that  word  "  anything."  Come,  my  soul,  be  f  cc 
at  the  mercy  scat,  and  hear  thy  Lord  saying  to 
thee,  "  Open  thy  mouth  wide,  and  I  will  fill  it." 

What  a  wise  promise !  We  are  always  to  ask  in 
the  name  of  Jesus.  While  this  encourages  tis,  it 
also  honours  hint.  This  is  a  constant  plea.  Occa- 
sionally every  other  plea  is  darkened,  especially 
such  as  we  could  draw  from  our  own  relation  to 
God,  or  our  experience  of  his  grace  ;  but  at  such 
times  the  name  of  Jesus  is  as  mighty  at  the  throne 
as  ever,  and  we  may  plead  it  with  full  assurance. 

What  an  instructive  prayer !  I  may  not  ask  for 
anything  to  which  I  cannot  put  Chri.st's  hand  and 
seal.  I  dare  not  use  my  Lord's  name  to  a  selfish 
or  wilful  petition.  I  may  only  use  my  Lord's  name 
to  prayers  which  he  would  himself  pray  if  he  were 
in  my  case.  It  is  a  high  privilege  to  be  authorized 
to  ask  in  the  name  of  Jesus  as  if  Jesus  himself 
asked  ;  but  our  love  to  him  will  never  allow  us  to 
set  that  name  where  he  would  not  have  set  it. 

Am  I  asking  for  that  which  Jesus  approves  ? 
Dare  I  put  his  seal  to  my  prayer  ?  Then  I  have 
tliat  which  I  seek  of  the  Father. 


330  JFai'lIj's  Cfjcque  Boolt.  Nov.  15, 

"J/y  (?^^  j-//a//  supply  all  your  need  according  to  his 
riches  in  glory  by  Christ  JesusT — Phil.  iv.  19. 

PAUL'S  God- is  our  God,  and  will  supply  all  our 
need.  Paul  felt  sure  of  this  in  reference  to  the 
Philippians,  and  we  feel  sure  of  it  as  to  ourseh^es, 
God  will  do  it,  for  it  is  like  him  :  he  loves  us,  he 
delights  to  bless  us,  and  it  will  glorify  him  to  do  so. 
His  pity,  his  power,  his  love,  his  faithfulness,  all 
work  together  that  we  be  not  famished. 

What  a  measure  doth  the  Lord  go  by  :  "  Accord- 
ing to  his  riches  in  glory  by  Christ  Jesus."  The 
riches  of  his  grace  are  large,  but  what  shall  we  say 
of  the  riches  of  his  glory  ?  His  "  riches  of  glory  by 
Christ  Jesus,"  who  shall  form  an  estimate  of  this  } 
According  to  this  immeasurable  measure  will  God 
fill  up  the  immense  abyss  of  our  necessities.  He 
makes  the  Lord  Jesus  the  receptacle  and  the 
channel  of  his  fulness,  and  then  he  imparts  to  us 
his  wealth  of  love  in  its  highest  form.     Llallelujah  ! 

The  writer  knows  what  it  is  to  be  tried  in  the 
work  oi  the  Lord.  Fidelity  has  been  recompensed 
with  anger,  and  liberal  givers  have  stopped  their 
subscriptions;  but  he  whom  they  sought  to  oppress 
has  not  been  one  penny  the  poorer,  nay,  rather  he 
has  been  the  richer  ;  for  this  promise  has  been  true, 
"  My  God  shall  supply  all  your  need."  God's 
supplies  are  surer  than  the  Bank  of  England. 


Kov.  i6.  JFaitb'a  Cljrque  Booh.  321 

"iV^  weapon  that  is  formed  against  thee  shall  prosper ; 
and  C7'ery  tongue  that  shall  rise  against  thee  in  judgment 
thou  shall  condemn." — Isa.  liv.  17. 

THERE  is  great  clatter  in  the  forges  and 
smithies  of  the  enemy.  They  are  making 
weapons  wherewith  to  smite  the  saints.  They 
could  not  even  do  as  much  as  this  if  the  Lord  of 
saints  did  not  allow  them  ;  for  he  has  created  the 
smith  that  bloweth  the  coals  in  the  fire.  But  see 
how  busily  they  labour!  How  many  swords  and 
spears  they  fashion  !  It  matters  nothing,  for  on 
the  blade  of  every  weapon  you  may  read  this 
inscription:  It  shall  not  prosper. 

But  now  listen  to  another  noise  :  it  is  the  strife 
of  tongues.  Tongues  are  more  terrible  instruments 
than  can  be  made  with  hammers  and  anvils,  and 
the  evil  which  they  inflict  cuts  deeper  and  spreads 
wider.  What  will  become  of  us  now  ?  Slander, 
falsehood,  insinuation,  ridicule — these  are  poisoned 
arrows  ;  how  can  we  meet  them  ?  The  Lord  God 
promises  us  that,  if  we  cannot  silence  them,  we  shall, 
at  least,  escape  from  being  ruined  by  them.  They 
condemn  us  for  the  moment,  but  we  shall  condemn 
them  at  last,  and  for  ever.  The  mouth  of  them 
that  speak  lies  shall  be  stopped,  and  their  false- 
hoods shall  be  turned  to  the  honour  of  those  good 
men  who  suffered  by  them. 

81 


322  iTailo's  Cycq'.ic  Dcilt.  Nov.  17. 

'''•For  the  Lord  wid  not  cast  off  his  fco/Ie,  fieiihe?-  will 
he  forsake  his  in/ieritai:ce."- — Ps.  xciv.  14. 

NO,  nor  will  he  cast  off  even  so  much  as  one 
of  them.  Man  has  his  cast-offs,  but  God 
has  none ;  for  his  choice  is  unchangeable,  and  his 
love  is  everlasting.  None  can  find  out  a  single 
person  whom  God  has  forsaken  after  having  re- 
vealed himself  savingly  to  him. 

This  grand  truth  is  mentioned  in  the  psalm  to 
cheer  the  heart  of  the  afflicted.  The  Lord  chastens 
his  own  ;  but  he  never  forsakes  them.  The 
result  of  the  double  work  of  the  law  and  the  rod 
is  our  instruction,  and  the  fruit  of  that  instruction 
is  a  quieting  of  spirit,  a  sobriety  of  mind,  out  of 
which  comes  rest.  The  ungodly  are  let  alone  till 
the  pit  is  digged  into  which  they  will  fall  and  be 
taken  ;  but  the  godly  are  sent  to  school  to  be  pre- 
pared for  their  glorious  destiny  hereafter.  Judg- 
ment will  return  and  finish  its  work  upon  the 
rebels,  but  it  will  equally  return  to  vindicate  the 
sincere  and  godly.  Hence  we  may  bear  the  rod 
of  chastisement  with  calm  submission  ;  it  means 
not  anger,  but  love. 

"  God  may  chasten  and  correct, 
But  he  never  can  neglect  ; 
May  in  faithfulness  reprove, 
But  he  ne'er  can  cease  to  love.* 


Nov.  i8.  iFaitij's  ffi^Ijfquc  Booh.  323 

"/«  that  day  shall  the  Lord  defend  the  inhabitants  of 
Jerusalem  :  and  lie  that  is  feeble  among  them  at  that  day 
shall  be  as  David;  and  the  Jionse  of  David  shall  be  as 
God,  as  the  angel  of  the  Lord  before  them." — Zech.  xii.  8. 

ONE  of  the  best  methods  of  the  Lord's  defend- 
ing his  people  is  to  niake  them  strong  in 
inward  might.  Men  are  better  than  walls,  and 
faith  is  stronger  than  castles. 

The  Lord  can  take  the  feeblest  among  us  and 
make  him  like  David,  the  champion  of  Israel. 
Lord,  do  this  with  me !  Infuse  thy  power  into  me, 
and  fill  me  with  sacred  courage  that  I  may  face  the 
giant  with  sling  and  stone,  confident  in  God. 

The  Lord  can  make  his  greatest  champions  far 
mightier  than  they  are  :  David  can  be  as  God,  as 
the  angel  of  Jehovah.  This  would  be  a  marvellous 
development,  but  it  is  possible,  or  it  would  not  be 
spoken  of.  O  Lord,  work  thus  with  the  best  of 
our  leaders  !  Show  us  what  thou  art  able  to  do — 
namely,  to  raise  thy  faithful  servants  to  a  height  of 
grace  and  holiness  which  shall  be  clearly  super- 
natural ! 

Lord,  dwell  in  thy  saints,  and  they  shall  be  as 
God  ;  put  thy  might  into  them,  and  they  shall  be 
as  the  living  creatures  who  dwell  in  the  presence  of 
Jehovah.  Fulfil  this  promise  to  thine  entire  church 
in  this  our  day,  for  Jesus'  sake.     Amen. 


324  JFaitlj'a  Clbfq»c  Baoh.  Nov.  19. 

^'Froin  this  day  will  I  bless  you."— n^ggaX  ii.  19. 

FUTURE  things  are  hidden  from  us.  Yet 
here  is  a  glass  in  which  we  may  see  the 
unborn  years.  The  Lord  says,  "  From  this  day 
will  I  bless  you." 

It  is  worth  while  to  note  the  day  which  is  re- 
ferred to  in  this  promise.  There  had  been  failure 
of  crops,  blasting,  and  mildew,  and  all  because 
of  the  people's  sin.  Now,  the  Lord  saw  these 
chastened  ones  commencing  to  obey  his  word,  and 
build  his  temple,  and  therefore  he  says,  "  From  the 
day  that  the  foundation  of  the  Lord's  temple  was 
laid,  consider.  From  this  day  will  I  bless  you." 
If  we  have  lived  in  any  sin,  and  the  Spirit  leads 
us  to  purge  ourselves  of  it,  we  may  reckon  upon 
the  blessing  of  the  Lord.  His  smile,  his  Spirit, 
his  grace,  his  fuller  revelation  of  his  truth  will  all 
prove  to  us  an  enlarged  blessing.  We  may  fall 
into  greater  opposition  from  man  because  of  our 
faithfulness,  but  we  shall  rise  to  closer  dealings 
with  the  Lord  our  God,  and  a  clearer  sight  of  our 
acceptance  in  him. 

Lord,  I  am  resolved  to  be  more  true  to  thee,  and 
more  exact  in  my  following  0/  thy  doctrine  and 
thy  precept  ;  and  I  pray  thee,  therefore,  by  Christ 
Jesus,  to  increase  the  blessedness  of  my  daily  life 
henceforth  and  for  ever. 


Nov.  20.  JFaillj's  CI)cqiic  Bcolt.  3?5 

'■^For  J.i  satis  fie  th  the  loti^^iiig  soul,  and  fiUcth  the 
hungry  soul  with  gooduess." — rs.  cvii.  9. 

IT  is  well  to  have  longings,  and  the  more  intense 
they  are  the  better.  The  Lord  will  satisfy 
soul-longings,  however  great  and  all-absorbing  they 
may  be.  Let  us  greatly  long,  for  God  will  greatly 
give.  We  are  never  in  a  right  slate  of  mind  when 
we  are  contented  with  ourselves,  and  are  free  from 
longings.  Desires  for  more  grace,  and  groanings 
which  cannot  be  uttered,  are  growing  pains,  and 
we  should  wish  to  feci  them  more  and  more. 
Blessed  Spirit,  make  us  sigh  and  cry  after  better 
things,  and  for  more  of  the  best  things  ! 

Hunger  is  by  no  means  a  pleasant  sensation. 
Yet  blessed  are  they  that  hunger  and  thirst  after 
righteousness.  Such  persons  shall  not  only  have 
their  hunger  relieved  with  a  little  food,  but  they 
shall  be  filled.  They  shall  not  be  filled  with  any 
sort  of  rough  stuff,  but  their  diet  shall  be  worthy 
of  their  good  Lord,  for  they  shall  be  filled  with 
good'iDss  by  Jehovah  himself 

Come,  let  us  not  fret  because  we  long  and 
hunger,  but  let  us  hear  the  voice  of  the  Psalmist 
as  he  also  longs  and  hungers  to  see  God  magnified. 
"  Oh,  that  men  would  praise  the  Lord  for  his  good- 
ness, and  for  his  wonderful  works  to  the  children 
of  men." 


326  iFaitlj's  Cljcque  33oclt.  Nov.  21. 

^^Lojk  mito  me,  a  fid  be  ye  saved,  all  the  ends  oj  the 
earth  :  for  I  am  God,  ajid  there  is  none  elseP—  isa.  xlv.  22. 

THIS  is  a  promise  of  promises.  It  lies  at  the 
foundation  of  our  spiritual  life.  Salvation 
comes  through  a  look  at  him  who  is  "a  just  God 
and  a  Saviour."  How  simple  is  the  direction  ! 
"Look  unto  me."'  How  reasonable  is  the  require- 
ment !  Surely  the  creature  should  look  to  the 
Creator.  We  have  looked  elsewhere  long  enough, 
it  is  time  that  we  look  alone  to  him  who  invites  our 
expectation,  and   promises  to  give  us  his  salvation. 

Only  a  look  !  Will  we  not  look  at  once  ?  We 
are  to  bring  nothing  in  ourselves,  but  to  look  out- 
ward and  upward  to  our  Lord  on  his  throne, 
whither  he  has  gone  up  from  the  cross.  A  look 
requires  no  preparation,  no  violent  effort :  it  needs 
neither  wit  nor  wisdom,  wealth  nor  strength.  All 
that  we  need  is  in  the  Lord  our  God,  and  if  we  look 
to  him  for  everything,  that  everything  shall  be  ours, 
and  we  shall  be  saved. 

Come,  far-off  ones,  look  hither  1  Ye  ends  of  the 
earth,  turn  your  eyes  this  way !  As  from  the 
furthest  regions  men  may  see  the  sun  and  enjoy  his 
light,  so  you  who  lie  in  death's  borders  at  the  very 
gates  of  hell  may  by  a  look  receive  the  light  of  God, 
the  life  of  heaven,  the  salvation  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  who  is  God,  and  therefore  able  to  save. 


Nov.  22.  Jaitlj's  CljrquE  Uoolt.  327 

"/«  those  days,  and  in  that  time,  saith  the  Lord,  the 
iniquity  of  Israel  shall  be  sought  for,  and  there  shall  he 
none  ;  and  the  sins  of  Judah,  and  they  shall  not  be  found  : 
for  I  will  pardon  them  whom  I  reseiTe." — ^jer.  I.  20. 

A  GLORIOUS  word  indeed  !  What  a  perfect 
pardon  is  here  promised  to  the  sinful  nations 
of  Israel  and  Judah  !  Sin  is  to  be  so  removed  that 
it  shall  not  be  found,  so  blotted  out  that  there  shall 
be  none.     Glory  be  unto  the  God  of  pardons ! 

Satan  seeks  out  sins  wherewith  to  accuse  us,  our 
enemies  seek  them  that  they  may  lay  them  to  our 
charge,  and  our  own  conscience  seeks  them  even 
with  a  morbid  eagerness.  But  when  the  Lord 
applies  the  precious  blood  of  Jesus,  we  fear  no 
form  of  search,  for  "there  shall  be  none,"  "they 
shall  not  be  found."  The  Lord  hath  caused  the 
sins  of  his  people  to  cease  to  be  :  he  hath  finished 
transgression,  and  made  an  end  of  sin.  The  sacri- 
fice of  Jesus  has  cast  our  sins  into  the  depths  of 
the  sea.     This  makes  us  dance  for  joy. 

The  reason  for  the  obliteration  of  sin  lies  in  the 
fact  that  Jehovah  himself  pardons  his  chosen  ones. 
His  word  of  grace  is  not  only  royal,  but  divine.  He 
speaks  absolution,  and  we  are  absolved.  He  applies 
the  atonement,  and  from  that  hour  his  people  are 
beyond  all  fear  of  condemnation.  Blessed  be  the 
name  of  the  sin-annihilating  God  ! 


328  jFai'tlj's  Cheque  Book  Nov.  23. 

''7>i(?  Lord  tJiy  God  will  put  out  those  nations  before 
thee  by  little  and  little." — Deut.  vii.  22. 

WE  are  not  to  expect  to  win  victories  for 
the  Lord  Jesus  by  a  single  blow.  Evil 
principles  and  practices  die  hard.  In  some  places 
it  takes  years  of  labour  to  drive  out  even  one  of 
the  many  vices  which  defile  the  inhabitants.  We 
must  carry  on  the  war  with  all  our  might,  even 
when  favoured  with  little  manifest  success. 

Our  business  in  this  world  is  to  conquer  it  for 
Jesus.  We  are  not  to  make  compromises,  but  to 
exterminate  evils.  We  are  not  to  seek  popularity, 
but  to  wage  unceasing  war  with  iniquity.  Infidelity, 
Popery,  drink,  impurity,  oppression,  worldliness, 
error  ;  these  are  all  to  be  "put  out." 

The  Lord  our  God  can  alone  accomplish  this. 
He  works  by  his  faithful  servants  ;  and,  blessed  be 
his  name,  he  promises  that  he  will  so  work. 
"Jehovah  thy  God  will  put  out  those  nations 
before  thee."  This  he  will  do  by  degrees,  that  we 
may  learn  perseverance,  may  increase  in  faith,  may 
earnestly  watch,  and  may  avoid  carnal  security. 
Let  us  thank  God  for  a  little  success,  and  pray 
for  more.  Let  us  never  sheathe  the  sword  till  the 
whole  land  is  won  for  Jesus. 

Courage,  my  heart !  Go  on  little  by  little,  for 
many  littles  will  make  a  great  whole. 


Nov.  24.  ifattfi's  Cfirque  Ijooft.  329 

"^<f  7£v7/  ;7<7/  always  chide:  neither  will  he  keep  his 
auger  for  ever." — Ps.  ciii.  9. 

HE  will  chide  sometimes,  or  he  would  not  be 
a  wise  father  for  such  poor  erring  children  as 
we  are.  His  chiding  is  very  painful  to  those  who 
are  true,  because  they  feel  how  sadly  they  deserve 
it,  and  how  wrong  it  is  on  their  part  to  grieve 
him.  We  know  what  this  chiding  means,  and  we 
bow  before  the  Lord,  mourning  that  we  should 
cause  him  to  be  angry  with  us. 

But  what  a  comfort  we  find  in  these  lines ! 
"  Not  always  "  will  he  chide.  If  we  repent  and 
turn  to  him  with  hearts  broken /<?r  sin  and  broken 
from  sin,  he  will  smile  upon  us  at  once.  It  is  no 
pleasure  to  him  to  turn  a  frowning  face  towards 
those  whom  he  loves  with  all  his  heart:  it  is  his 
joy  that  our  joy  should  be  full. 

Come,  let  us  seek  his  face.  There  is  no  reason 
for  despair,  nor  even  for  despondency.  Let  us 
love  a  chiding  God,  and  before  long  we  shall  sing: 
"  Thine  anger  is  turned  away,  and  thou  comfortest 
me."  Begone,  ye  dark  forebodings,  ye  ravens  of 
the  soul  !  Come  in,  ye  humble  hopes  and  grateful 
memories,  ye  doves  of  the  heart !  He  who 
pardoned  us  long  ago  as  a  judge,  will  again  forgive 
us  as  a  father,  and  we  sha'l  rejoice  in  his  sweet, 
unchanging  love. 


330  5ai't|)*0  Cljcque  Baofe.  Nov.  25. 

"  ?F/i(?  «r/  //;(?z^,  O  great  moimtain  ?  before  Zeriihbahci 
thou  shalt  becoffie  a  plain  :  and  he  shall  bring  forth  the 
headstone  thereof  with  shoutings,  crying,  Grace,  grace  unto 
it." — Zech.  iv.  7. 

AT  this  hour  a  mountain  of  difficulty,  distress, 
or  necessity,  may  be  in  our  way,  and  natural 
reason  sees  no  path  over  it,  or  through  it,  or  round 
it.  Let  faith  come  in,  and  straightway  the  mountain 
disappears  and  becomes  a  plain.  But  faith  must 
first  hear  the  word  of  the  Lord — "  Not  by  might, 
nor  by  power,  but  by  my  Spirit,  saith  the  Lord  of 
hosts."  This  grand  truth  is  a  prime  necessity  for 
meeting  the  insurmountable  trials  of  life. 

I  see  that  I  can  do  nothing,  and  that  all  reliance 
on  man  is  vanity.  "Not  by  might."  I  see  that  no 
visible  means  can  be  relied  on,  but  the  force  is  in 
the  invisible  Spirit.  God  alone  must  work,  and 
men  and  means  must  be  nothing  accounted  of. 
If  it  be  so,  that  the  Almighty  God  takes  up  the 
concerns  of  his  people,  then  great  mountains  are 
nothing.  He  can  remove  worlds  as  boys  toss  balls 
about,  or  drive  them  with  their  foot.  This  power 
he  can  lend  to  me.  If  the  Lord  bids  me  move  an 
Alp  I  can  do  it  through  his  name.  It  may  be  a 
great  mountain,  but  even  before  my  feebleness  it 
shall  become  a  plain  ;  for  the  Lord  hath  said  it 
What  can  I  be  afraid  of  with  God  on  my  side? 


Nov.  26.  iFaillj's  C()fquc  Cocft.  331 

"  Your  sorro7C>  shall  be  turned  info  Joy.'"' — John  xvi.  20. 

THEIR  particular  sorrow  was  the  death  and 
absence  of  their  Lord,  and  it  was  turned 
into  joy  when  he  rose  from  the  dead  and  showed 
himself  in  their  midst.  All  the  sorrows  of  saints 
shall  be  thus  transmuted  ;  even  the  worst  of  them, 
which  look  as  if  they  must  for  ever  remain  fountains 
of  bitterness. 

Then  the  more  sorrow  the  more  joy.  If  we  have 
loads  of  sorrow,  then  the  Lord's  power  will  turn 
them  into  tons  of  joy.  Then  the  bitterer  the 
trouble  the  sweeter  the  pleasure :  the  swinging  of 
the  pendulum  far  to  the  left  will  cause  it  to  go  all 
the  farther  to  the  right.  The  remembrance  of  the 
grief  shall  heighten  the  flavour  of  the  delight  :  we 
shall  set  the  one  in  contrast  with  the  other,  and  the 
brilliance  of  the  diamond  shall  be  the  more  clearly 
seen  because  of  the  black  foil  behind  it. 

Come,  my  heart,  cheer  up!  In  a  little  while  I 
shall  be  as  glad  as  I  am  now  gloomy.  Jesus  tells 
me  that  by  a  heavenly  alchemy  my  sorrow  shall  be 
turned  into  joy.  I  do  not  see  how  it  is  to  be,  but  I 
believe  it,  and  I  begin  to  sing  by  way  of  anticipation. 
This  depression  of  spirit  is  not  for  long,  I  shall 
soon  be  up  among  the  happy  ones  who  praise  th-^ 
Lord  day  and  night,  and  there  I  shall  sing  of  the 
mercy  which  delivered  me  out  of  great  afflictions. 


332  iFaitb's  (S^\)tquz  Bock.  Nov.  27. 

'■'■And  he  said,  My  presence  shall  go  with  thee,  and  1 
will  give  thee  rest." — Ex.  xxxiii.  14. 

PRECIOUS  promise !  Lord,  enable  me  to 
appropriate  it  as  all  my  own. 

We  must  go  at  certain  times  from  our  abode,  for 
here  we  have  no  continuing  city.  It  often  happens 
that  when  we  feel  most  at  home  in  a  place,  we  are 
suddenly  called  away  from  it.  Here  is  the  antidote 
for  this  ill.  The  Lord  himself  will  keep  us  com- 
pany. His  presence,  which  includes  his  favour,  his 
fellowship,  his  care,  and  his  power,  shall  be  ever 
with  us  in  every  one  of  our  marchings.  This 
means  far  more  than  it  say^ ;  for,  in  fact,  it  means 
all  things.  If  we  have  God  present  with  us,  we 
have  possession  of  heaven  and  earth.  Go  with  me, 
Lord,  and  then  command  me  where  thou  wilt ! 

But  we  hope  to  find  a  place  of  rest.  The  text 
promises  it.  We  are  to  have  rest  of  God's  own 
giving,  making,  and  preserving.  His  presence  will 
cause  us  to  rest  even  when  we  are  on  the  march, 
yea,  even  in  the  midst  of  battle.  Rest!  Thrice 
blessed  word.  Can  it  ever  be  enjoyed  by  mortals  ? 
Yes,  there  is  the  promise,  and  by  faith  we  plead  it. 
Rest  comes  from  the  Comforter,  from  the  Prince 
of  Peace,  and  from  the  glorious  Father  who  rested 
on  the  seventh  day  from  all  his  works.  To  be  with 
God  is  to  rest  in  the  most  emphatic  sense. 


Nov.  28.  JF.iilfj's  CbrquE  Uflolt.  353 

"The  Lord  shall  command  the  blessing  upon  thee  in  thy 
storehouses,  and  in  all  that  ihou  scttest  thine  hufid  unto." 
Deut.  xxviii.  8. 

IF  wc  obey  the  Lord  our  God  he  will  bless  that 
which  he  gives  us.  Riches  are  no  curse  when 
blessed  of  the  Lord.  When  men  have  more  than 
they  require  for  their  immediate  need,  and  begin 
to  lay  up  in  store-houses,  the  dry  rot  of  covetous- 
ncss,  or  the  blight  of  hard-heartedness  is  apt  to 
follow  the  accumulation  ;  but  with  God's  blessing 
it  is  not  so.  Prudence  arranges  the  saving,  liberality 
directs  the  spending,  gratitude  maintains  consecra- 
tion, and  praise  sweetens  enjoyment.  It  is  a  great 
mercy  to  have  God's  blessing  in  one's  iron  safe,  and 
on  one's  banking  account. 

What  a  favour  is  made  ours  by  the  last  clause  ! 
*'  The  Lord  shall  bless  thee  in  all  that  thou  settest 
thine  hand  unto."  We  would  not  put  our  hand  to 
anything  upon  which  we  dare  not  ask  God's  blessing, 
neither  would  we  go  about  it  without  prayer  and 
faith.  But  what  a  privilege  to  be  able  to  look  for 
the  Lord's  help  in  every  enterprise  !  Some  talk  of 
a  lucky  man  :  the  blessing  of  the  Lord  is  better 
than  luck.  The  patronage  of  the  great  is  nothing 
to  the  favour  of  God.  Self-reliance  is  all  very  well ; 
but  the  Lord's  blessing  is  infinitely  more  than  all 
the  fruit  of  talent,  genius,  or  tact. 


334  Jpaitlj's  Cljeque  BocR.  Nov.  29. 

'^He  that  bMeveth  shall  not  make  hasted — Isa.  xxviii.  16. 

HE  shall  make  haste  to  keep  the  Lord's  com- 
mandments ;  but  he  shall  not  make  haste 
in  any  impatient  or  improper  sense. 

He  shall  not  haste  to  run  away,  for  he  shall  not 
be  overcome  with  the  fear  which  causes  panic. 
When  others  are  flying  hither  and  thither  as  if 
their  wits  had  failed  them,  the  believer  shall  be 
quiet,  calm,  and  deliberate,  and  so  shall  be  able 
to  act  wisely  in  the  hour  of  trial. 

He  shall  not  haste  in  his  expectations,  craving 
his  good  things  at  once  and  on  the  spot ;  but  he 
will  wait  God's  time.  Some  are  in  a  desperate 
hurry  to  have  the  bird  in  the  hand  ;  for  they  regard 
the  Lord's  promise  as  a  bird  in  the  bush,  not  likely 
to  be  theirs.     Believers  know  how  to  wait. 

He  shall  not  haste  by  plunging  into  wrong  or 
questionable  action.  Unbelief  must  be  doing 
something,  and  thus  it  works  its  own  undoing  ;  but 
faith  makes  no  more  haste  than  good  speed,  and 
thus  it  is  not  forced  to  go  back  sorrowfully  by  the 
way  which  it  followed  heedlessly. 

How  is  it  with  me?  Am  I  believing,  and  am  I 
therefore  keeping  to  the  believer's  pace,  which  is 
walking  with  God  ?  Peace,  fluttering  spirit !  Oh, 
rest  in  the  Lord,  and  wait  patiently  for  him ! 
Heart,  see  that  thou  do  this  at  once  1 


J  :>v.  30  5aitf)'3  Cl)cque  Book.  335 


*'T/i£  Zi'.',  V  //  :'s  that  doth  go  before  thee;  he  will 
be  with  tht.\  ,1c  ii:ill  not  fail  t/iee,  neither  forsake  thee  :fear 
not,  ncithe"  i\'.  iifsf>:ayed" — Deut.  xxxi.  8. 


IN  the  i-scsence  of  a  great  work  or  a  great 
warfare,  here  is  a  text  which  should  help  us 
to  buckle  on  our  harness.  If  Jehovah  himself  goes 
before  us,  it  must  be  safe  to  follow.  Who  can 
obstruct  our  progress  if  the  Lord  himself  is  in  the 
van  ?  Come,  brother  soldiers,  let  us  make  a 
prompt  advance !  Why  do  we  hesitate  to  pass  on 
to  victory  ? 

Nor  is  the  Lord  before  us  only  ;  he  is  with  us. 
Above,  beneath,  around,  \vithin  is  the  omnipotent, 
omnipresent  One.  In  all  time,  even  to  eternity, 
he  will  be  with  us  even  as  he  has  been.  How  this 
should  nerve  our  arm !  Dash  at  it  boldly,  ye 
soldiers  of  the  cross,  for  th.t  Lord  of  hosts  is  with  us ! 

Being  before  us  and  wiih  us,  he  will  never  with- 
draw his  help.  He  cannot  fail  in  himself,  and  he 
will  not  fail  towards  us.  l\^  will  continue  to  help 
us  according  to  our  need,  evtn  to  the  end.  As  he 
cannot  fail  us,  so  he  will  not  forsake  us.  He  will 
always  be  both  able  and  willing  to  grant  us  strength 
and  succour  till  fighting  days  are  gone. 

Let  us  not  fear  nor  be  dismay -^d  ;  for  the  Lord 
of  hosts  will  go  down  to  the  b.\ttle  with  us,  will 
bear  the  brunt  of  the  fight,  and  give  us  the  victory. 


S3^  iFaitf)'0  CTIjeque  33ooh.  Dr.c.  i. 

"  Jle  tliat  tvalketh  uprightly  7valketh  surely.''' — Prov.  x.  9. 

HIS  walk  may  be  slow,  but  it  is  sure.  He  that 
hasteth  to  be  rich  shall  not  be  innocent  nor 
sure  ;  but  steady  perseverance  in  integrity,  if  it  do 
not  bring  riches,  will  certainly  bring  peace.  In 
doing  that  which  is  just  and  right  we  are  like  one 
walking  upon  a  rock,  for  we  have  confidence  that 
every  step  we  take  is  upon  solid  and  safe  ground. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  utmost  success  through 
questionable  transactions  must  always  be  hollow 
and  treacherous,  and  the  man  who  has  gained  it 
must  always  be  afraid  that  a  day  of  reckoning  will 
come,  and  then  his  gains  will  condemn  him. 

Let  us  stick  to  truth  and  righteousness.  By 
God's  grace  let  us  imitate  our  Lord  and  Master,  in 
whose  mouth  no  deceit  was  ever  found.  Let  us  not 
be  afraid  of  being  poor,  nor  of  being  treated  with 
contempt.  Never,  on  any  account  whatever,  let  us 
do  that  which  our  conscience  cannot  justify.  If  we 
lose  inward  peace,  we  lose  more  than  a  fortune  can 
buy.  If  we  keep  in  the  Lord's  own  way,  and  never 
sin  against  our  conscience,  our  way  is  sure  against 
all  comers.  Who  is  he  that  can  harm  us  if  we 
be  followers  of  that  which  is  good  ?  We  may  be 
thought  fools  by  fools  if  we  are  firm  in  our  integrity  ; 
but  in  the  place  where  judgment  is  infallible  we 
shall  be  approved. 


Dec.  2.  jpaitb's  Cljcquc  Book  337 

'■^ I  have  set  the  Lord  ahoays  before  me :  because  he  is  at 
my  right  hand,  I  shall  not  be  mm'ed." — Ps.  xvi.  8. 

THIS  is  the  way  to  live.  With  God  always 
before  us,  we  shall  have  the  noblest  com- 
panionship, the  holiest  example,  the  sweetest 
consolation,  and  the  mightiest  influence.  This 
must  be  a  resolute  act  of  the  mind.  "  I  have  set," 
and  it  must  be  maintained  as  a  set  and  settled 
thing.  Always  to  have  an  eye  to  the  Lord's  eye, 
and  an  car  for  the  Lord's  voice — this  is  the  right 
state  for  the  godly  man.  His  God  is  near  him, 
filling  the  horizon  of  his  vision,  leading  the  way 
of  his  life,  and  furnishing  the  theme  of  his  medita- 
tion. What  vanities  we  should  avoid,  what  sins  we 
should  overcome,  what  virtues  we  should  exhibit, 
what  joys  we  should  experience  if  we  did  indeed 
set  the  Lord  always  before  us  !     Why  not  ? 

This  is  the  way  to  be  safe.  The  Lord  being 
ever  in  our  minds,  we  come  to  feel  safety  and 
certainty  because  of  his  being  so  neat.  He  is  at 
our  right  hand  to  guide  and  aid  us  ;  and  hence  we 
are  not  moved  by  fear,  nor  force,  nor  fraud,  nor 
fickleness.  When  God  stands  at  a  man's  right 
hand,  that  man  is  himself  sure  to  stand.  Come  on, 
then,  ye  foemen  of  the  truth !  Rush  against  me 
like  a  furious  tempest,  if  ye  will.  God  upholds 
me.     God  abides  with  me.     Whom  shall  J  fear  ? 

23 


338  i?ai'tlj's  CIjequE  Baolt.  Dec.  3. 

''/   liiill  make   with    them   a   covenant  of  peace,    and 
will  cause  the  evil  beasts  to  cease  out  of  the  land :  and  they 
shall  dwell  safely  in  the  wilderness,  a  fid  sleep  in  the  woods." 
Ez.  xxxiv.   25. 

IT  is  the  height  of  grace  that  Jehovah  should  be 
in  covenant  with  man,  a  feeble,  sinful  and 
dying  creature.  Yet  the  Lord  has  solemnly  entered 
into  a  faithful  compact  with  us,  and  from  that 
covenant  he  will  never  turn  aside.  In  virtue  of 
this  covenant  we  are  safe.  As  lions  and  wolves 
are  driven  off  by  shepherds,  so  shall  all  noxious 
influences  be  chased  away.  The  Lord  will  give  us 
rest  from  disturbers  and  destroyers  ;  the  evil  beasts 
shall  cease  out  of  the  land.  O  Lord,  make  this  thy 
promise  good  even  now  ! 

The  Lord's  people  are  to  enjoy  security  in  places 
of  the  greatest  exposure  :  wildernesses  and  woods 
are  to  be  as  pastures  and  folds  to  the  flock  of 
Christ.  If  the  Lord  does  not  change  the  place  for 
the  better,  he  will  make  us  the  better  in  the  place. 
The  wilderness  is  not  a  place  to  dwell  in,  but  the 
Lord  can  make  it  so  ;  in  the  woods  one  feels  bound 
to  watch  rather  than  to  sleep,  and  yet  the  Lord 
giveth  his  beloved  sleep  even  there.  Nothing  with- 
out or  within  should  cause  any  fear  to  the  child  of 
God.  By  faith  the  wilderness  can  become  the  suburbs 
ol  heaven,  and  the  woods  the  vestibule  of  glory. 


Dec.  4.  Jaitlj's  Cfjeque  Book.  339 

"/yi?  j-//rt'//  <-<?7rr  ///^^  with  his  feathers,  and  under  his 
wins;s  shalt  thou  trust :  his  truth  siiall  be  thy  shield  and 
buckler y — Ps.  xci.  4. 

A  CONDESCENDING  simile  indeed!  Just 
as  a  hen  protects  her  brood  and  allows  them 
to  nestle  under  her  wings,  so  will  the  Lord  defend 
his  people,  and  permit  them  to  hide  away  in  him. 
Have  we  not  seen  the  little  chicks  peeping  out 
from  under  the  mother's  feathers  ?  Have  we  not 
heard  their  little  cry  of  contented  joy?  In  this  way 
let  us  shelter  ourselves  in  our  God,  and  feel  over- 
flowing peace  in  knowing  that  he  is  guarding  us. 

While  the  Lord  covers  us  we  trust.  It  would 
be  strange  if  we  did  not.  How  can  we  distrust 
when  Jehovah  himself  becomes  house  and  home, 
refuge  and  rest  to  us  ? 

This  done,  we  go  out  to  war  in  his  name  and 
enjoy  the  same  guardian  care.  We  need  shield  and 
buckler,  and  when  we  implicitly  trust  God,  even  as 
the  chick  trusts  the  hen,  we  find  his  truth  arming 
us  from  head  to  foot.  The  Lord  cannot  lie  ;  he 
must  be  faithful  to  his  people  ;  his  promise  must 
stand.  This  sure  truth  is  all  the  shield  we  need- 
Behind  it  we  defy  the  fiery  darts  of  the  enemy. 

Come,  my  soul,  hide  under  those  great  wings, 
lose  thyself  among  those  soft  feathers !  How 
happ)'  thou  art  1 


340  J)Faitl)'s  Cheque  Book.  Dec.  5. 

'■'He  shall  divell  on  high  :  his  place  of  defence  shall  be 
the  munitions  of  rocks :  bread  shall  be  given  him;  his 
waters  shall  be  sure." — Isa.  xxxiii.  16. 

THE  man  to  whom  God  has  given  grace  to  be 
of  blameless  life  dwells  in  perfect  security. 

He  dwells  on  high,  above  the  world,  out  of 
gunshot  of  the  enemy,  and  near  to  heaven.  He 
has  high  aims  and  motives,  and  he  finds  high 
comforts  and  company.  He  rejoices  in  the  moun- 
tains of  eternal  love,  wherein  he  has  his  abode. 

He  is  defended  by  munitions  of  stupendous 
rock.  The  firmest  things  in  the  universe  are  the 
promises  and  purposes  of  the  unchanging  God,  and 
these  are  the  safe-guard  of  the  obedient  believer. 

He  is  provided  for  by  this  great  promise,  "Bread 
shall  be  given  him."  As  the  enemy  cannot  climb 
the  fort,  nor  break  down  the  rampart,  so  the 
fortress  cannot  be  captured  by  siege  and  famine. 
The  Lord,  who  rained  manna  in  the  wilderness, 
will  kiep  his  people  in  good  store  even  when  they 
are  surrounded  by  those  who  would  starve  them. 

But  what  if  water  should  fail  }  That  cannot  be, 
**  his  waters  shall  be  sure."  There  is  a  never-failing 
well  within  the  impregnable  fortress.  The  Lord 
sees  that  nothing  is  wanting.  None  can  touch  the 
citizen  of  the  true  Zion.  However  fierce  the  enemy, 
the  Lord  will  preserve  his  chosen. 


Dec.  6.  JFaitb'3  Cf)cquc  Boolt.  341 

"  JV/icn  thou  passest  through  the  waters^  I  tcill  be  7vith 

thee;    and  through   the   rivers,    they   shall    not  orefjlow 

thee :  when   thou  walkest  through  the  fire^  thou  shall  not 

be  burned ;    neither   shall   the  flame  kindle  upon  thee^ 

Isa.  xliii.  2. 

BRIDGE  there  is  none  :  we  must  go  through 
the  waters,  and  feel  the  rush  of  the  rivers. 
The  presence  of  God  in  the  flood  is  better  than  a 
ferry-boat.  Tried  we  must  be,  but  triumphant  we 
shall  be  ;  for  Jehovah  himself,  who  is  mightier  than 
many  waters,  shall  be  with  us.  Whenever  else  he 
may  be  away  from  his  people,  the  Lord  will  surely 
be  with  them  in  difficulties  and  dangers.  The 
sorrows  of  life  may  rise  to  an  extraordinary  height, 
but  the  Lord  is  equal  to  every  occasion. 

The  enemies  of  God  can  put  in  our  way  dangers 
of  their  own  making,  namely,  persecutions  and 
cruel  mockings,  which  are  like  a  burning  fiery 
furnace.  What  then  }  We  shall  walk  through  the 
fires.  God  being  with  us,  we  shall  not  be  burned  ; 
nay,  not  even  the  smell  of  fire  shall  remain  upon  us. 

Oh,  the  wonderful  security  of  the  heaven-born 
and  heaven-bound  pilgrim  !  Floods  cannot  drown 
him,  nor  fires  burn  him.  Thy  presence,  O  Lord,  is 
the  protection  of  thy  saints  from  the  varied  perils 
of  the  road.  Behold,  in  faith  I  commit  myself 
unto  thee,  and  my  spirit  enters  into  rest. 


342  iFaitVs  (S^fjcqne  Book.  Dec.  7. 

''''The  Lord  will  give  strength  ntito  his  people ;  the  Lord 
will  bless  his  people  with  peace.'" — rs.  xxix.  11. 

DAVID  had  just  heard  the  voice  of  the  Lord 
in  a  thunderstorm,  and  had  seen  his  power 
in  the  hurricane  whose  path  he  had  described  ; 
and  now,  in  the  cool  calm  after  the  storm,  that 
overwhelming  power  by  which  heaven  and  earth  are 
skaken  is  promised  to  be  the  strength  of  the  chosen. 
He  who  wings  the  unerring  bolt  will  give  to  his 
redeemed  the  wings  of  eagles  ;  he  who  shakes  the 
earth  with  his  voice  will  terrify  the  enemies  of  his 
saints,  and  give  his  children  peace.  Why  are  we 
weak  when  we  have  divine  strength  to  flee  to  ? 
Why  are  we  troubled  when  the  Lord's  own  peace 
is  ours  ?  Jesus,  the  mighty  God,  is  our  strength  ; 
let  us  put  him  on  and  go  forth  to  our  service. 
Jesus,  our  blessed  Lord,  is  also  our  peace  ;  let  us 
repose  in  him  this  day,  and  end  our  fears.  What 
a  blessing  to  have  him  for  our  strength  and  peace 
both  now  and  for  ever ! 

That  same  God  who  rides  upon  the  storm  in 
days  of  tempest  will  also  rule  the  hurricane  of  our 
tribulation,  and  send  us,  before  long,  days  of  peace. 
We  shall  have  strength  for  storms,  and  songs  for 
fair  weather.  Let  us  begin  to  sing  at  once  unto 
God  our  strength  and  our  peace.  Away,  dark 
thoughts  !     Up,  faith  and  hope  1 


Dec.  8.  jFaitlj'a  Cljrquc  Coolt.  343 

''If  any  tnan  S'-rve  vie,  let  him  folloru  me ;  and  where  I 
am,  there  shall  also  tiiy  semant  be  :  if  any  man  serve  me^ 
him  will  my  Father  honour^ — ^john  xii.  26. 

THE  highest  service  is  imitation.  If  I  would 
be  Christ's  servant  I  must  be  his  follower. 
To  do  as  Jesus  did  is  the  surest  way  of  bringing 
honour  to  his  name.     Let  me  mind  this  every  day. 

If  I  imitate  Jesus  I  shall  have  his  company  :  if  I 
am  like  him  I  shall  be  with  him.  In  due  time  he 
will  take  me  up  to  dwell  with  him  above,  if,  mean- 
while, I  have  striven  to  follow  him  here  below. 
After  his  suffering  our  Lord  came  to  his  throne, 
and  even  so,  after  we  have  suffered  a  while  with  him 
here  below,  we  also  shall  arrive  in  glory.  The  issue 
of  our  Lord's  life  shall  be  the  issue  of  ours  :  if  we 
are  with  him  in  his  humiliation  we  shall  be  with 
him  in  his  glory.  Come,  my  soul,  pluck  up  courage, 
and  put  down  thy  teet  in  the  blood-marked  foot- 
prints which  thy  Lord  has  left  thee. 

Let  me  not  fail  to  note  that  the  Father  will 
honour  those  who  follow  his  Son.  If  he  sees  me 
true  to  Jesus  he  will  put  marks  of  favour  and 
honour  upon  me  for  his  Son's  sake.  No  honour 
can  be  like  this.  Princes  and  emperors  bestow  the 
mere  shadows  of  honour ;  the  substance  of  glory 
comes  from  the  Father.  Wherefore,  my  soul,  cling 
thou  to  thy  Lord  Jesus  more  closely  than  ever.    • 


344  Jatt!i*S  dlj^qitc  Book  Dec.  9. 

^^ Jesus  said  unto  him,  If  thou  canst  believe^  all  things  art 
possible  to  him  that  believeth." — Mark  ix.  23. 

OUR  unbelief  is  the  greatest  hindrance  in  our 
way;  in  fact,  there  is  no  other  real  difficulty 
as  to  our  spiritual  progress  and  prosperity.  The 
Lord  can  do  everything ;  but  when  he  makes  a 
rule  that  according  to  our  faith  so  shall  it  be  unto 
us,  our  unbelief  ties  the  hands  of  his  omnipotence. 
Yes,  the  confederacies  of  evil  shall  be  scattered 
if  we  can  but  believe.  Despised  truth  shall  lift  its 
head  if  we  will  but  have  confidence  in  the  God  of 
truth.  We  can  bear  our  load  of  trouble,  or  pass 
uninjured  through  the  waves  of  distress,  if  we  can 
gird  our  loins  with  the  girdle  of  peace,  that  girdle 
which  is  buckled  on  by  the  hands  of  trust. 

What  can  we  not  believe  ?  Is  everything  possible 
except  believing  in  God  ?  Yet  he  is  always  true  ; 
why  do  we  not  believe  him  ?  He  is  always  faithful 
to  his  word  ;  why  can  we  not  trust  him  ?  When 
we  are  in  a  right  state  of  heart  faiih  costs  no  effort: 
it  is  then  as  natural  for  us  to  rely  upon  God  as  for 
a  child  to  trust  its  father. 

The  worst  of  it  is,  that  we  can  believe  God  about 
everything  except  the  present  pressing  trial.  This 
is  folly.  Come,  my  soul,  shake  off  such  sinfulness, 
and  trust  thy  God  with  the  load,  the  labour,  the 
longing  of  this  present.     This  done,  all  is  done. 


Dec.  10.  JFaitb's  CI)Eque  Booft.  345 

"But  if  tJiou  shalt  indeed  obey  his  voice,  and  do  all  that 
I  speak ;  then  I  will  be  an  enemy  unto  thine  enemies,  and 
an  adversary  unto  thine  adversaries''' — Ex.  xxiii.  22. 

THE  Lord  Christ  in  the  midst  of  his  people  is 
to  be  acknowledged  and  obeyed.  He  is  the 
vicegerent  of  God,  and  speaks  in  the  Father's 
name,  and  it  is  ours  implicitly  and  immediately  to 
do  as  he  commands.  We  shall  lose  the  promise 
if  we  disregard  the  precept. 

To  full  obedience  how  large  the  blessing!  The 
Lord  enters  into  a  league  with  his  people,  offensive 
and  defensive.  He  will  bless  those  who  bless  us, 
and  curse  those  who  curse  us.  God  will  go  heart 
and  soul  with  his  people,  and  enter  in  deepest 
sympathy  into  their  position.  What  a  protection 
this  affords  us  I  We  need  not  concern  ourselves 
about  our  adversaries,  when  we  are  assured  that 
they  have  become  the  adversaries  of  God.  If 
Jehovah  has  taken  up  our  quarrel  we  may  leave 
the  foemen  in  his  hands. 

So  far  as  our  own  interest  is  concerned  we  have  no 
enemies  ;  but  for  the  cause  of  truth  and  righteous- 
ness we  take  up  arms  and  go  forth  to  conflict.  In 
this  sacred  war  we  are  allied  with  the  eternal  God, 
and  if  we  carefully  obey  the  law  of  our  Lord  Jesus, 
he  is  engaged  to  put  forth  all  his  power  on  our 
behalf     Wherefore  we  fear  no  man. 


346  Jaitlj's  €i^equ£  33oofe.  Dec.  ii 

'■'■Trust  m  the  Lord,  and  do  good;  so  shall  thou  dtuell 
in  the  land,  and  verily  thou  shall  be  fed.'' — Ps.  xxxvii.  3. 

'T^R  US  T  and  do  are  words  which  go  well  together, 
in  the  order  in  which  the  Holy  Spirit  has  placed 
them.  We  should  have  faith,  and  that  faith  should 
work.  Trust  in  God  sets  us  upon  holy  doing :  we 
trust  God  for  good,  and  then  we  do  good.  We  do 
not  sit  still  because  we  trust,  but  we  arouse  our- 
selves, and  expect  the  Lord  to  work  through  us 
and  by  us.  It  is  not  ours  to  worry  and  do  evil,  but 
to  trust  and  do  good.  We  neither  trust  without 
doing,  nor  do  without  trusting. 

Adversaries  would  root  us  out,  if  they  could  ;  but 
by  trusting  and  doing  we  dwell  in  the  land.  We 
will  not  go  into  Egypt,  but  we  will  remain  in  Im- 
manuel's  land — the  providence  of  God,  the  Canaan 
of  covenant  love.  We  are  not  so  easily  to  be  got 
rid  of  as  the  Lord's  enemies  suppose.  They  can- 
not thrust  us  out,  nor  stamp  us  out :  where  God  has 
given  us  a  name  and  a  place,  there  we  abide. 

But  what  about  the  supply  of  our  necessities  ? 
The  Lord  has  put  a  "  verily "  into  this  promise. 
As  sure  as  God  is  true,  his  people  shall  be  fed.  It 
is  theirs  to  trust  and  to  do,  and  it  is  the  Lord's  to 
do  according  to  their  trust.  If  not  fed  by  ravens, 
or  fed  by  an  Obadiah,  or  fed  by  a  widov/,  yet  they 
shall  be  fed  somehow.     Away,  ye  fears  1 


Dec.  12.  JFaitf)'s  (Cfjtquc  13  a olt.  347 

"/«  quietness  and  in  confidence  sJiall  be  your  strength^ 
Isa.  XXX.  15. 

IT  is  always  weakness  to  be  fretting  and  worry- 
ing, questioning  and  mistrusting.  What  can 
we  do  if  we  wear  ourselves  to  skin  and  bone  ? 
Can  we  gain  anything  by  fearing  and  fuming  .-*  Do 
we  not  unfit  ourselves  for  action,  and  unhinge  our 
minds  for  wise  decision  .''  We  are  sinking  by  our 
struggles  when  we  might  float  by  faith. 

Oh  for  grace  to  be  quiet  1  Why  run  from  house 
to  house  to  repeat  the  weary  story  which  makes 
us  more  and  more  heart-sick  as  we  tell  it  }  Why 
even  stay  at  home  to  cry  out  in  agony  because  of 
wretched  forebodings  which  may  never  be  fulfilled? 
It  would  be  well  to  keep  a  quiet  tongue,  but  it 
would  be  far  better  if  we  had  a  quiet  heart.  Oh  to 
be  still  and  know  that  Jehovah  is  God ! 

Oh  for  grace  to  be  confident  in  God !  The  Holy 
One  of  Israel  must  defend  and  deliver  his  own. 
He  cannot  run  back  from  his  solemn  declarations. 
We  may  make  sure  that  every  word  of  his  will 
stand  though  the  mountains  should  depart.  He 
deserves  to  be  confided  in  ;  and  if  we  would  dis- 
play confidence  and  consequent  quietness,  we  might 
be  as  happy  as  the  spirits  before  the  throne. 

Come,  my  soul,  return  unto  thy  rest,  and  lean 
thy  head  upon  the  bosom  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 


348  Jaitb's  ffi^fjeque  Baolt.  Dec.  13. 

"//  shall  come  to  pass,  that  at  evening  time  it  shall  be 
lightr — Zech.  xiv.  7.  ^ 

IT  is  a  surprise  that  it  should  be  so  ;  for  all  things 
threaten  that  at  evening  time  it  shall  be  dark. 
God  is  wont  to  work  in  a  way  so  much  above  our 
fears  and  beyond  our  hopes,  that  we  are  greatly 
amazed,  and  are  led  to  praise  his  sovereign  grace. 
No,  it  shall  not  be  with  us  as  our  hearts  are 
prophesying:  the  dark  will  not  deepen  into  mid- 
night, but  it  will  on  a  sudden  brighten  into  day. 
Never  let  us  despair.  In  the  worst  times  let  us 
trust  in  the  Lord  who  turneth  the  darkness  of  the 
shadow  of  death  into  the  morning.  When  the  tale 
of  bricks  is  doubled  Moses  appears,  and  when 
tribulation  abounds  it  is  nearest  its  end. 

This,  promise  should  assist  our  patience.  The 
light  may  not  fully  come  till  our  hopes  are  quite 
spent  by  waiting  all  day  to  no  purpose.  To  the 
wicked  the  sun  goes  down  while  it  is  yet  day :  to 
the  righteous  the  sun  rises  when  it  is  almost  night. 
May  we  not  with  patience  wait  for  that  heavenly 
light,  which  may  be  long  in  coming,  but  is  sure  to 
prove  itself  well  worth  waiting  for  ? 

Come,  my  soul,  take  up  thy  parable  and  sing 
unto  him  who  will  bless  thee  in  life  and  in  death, 
in  a  manner  surpassing  all  that  nature  has  ever 
seen  when  at  its  best. 


Dec.  14.  iFait|)'3  (Eijfquc  13aolt.  349 

"Afid  he  that  sat  upon  the  throne  said,  Behold,  I  make 
all  things  new." — Rev.  xxi.  5. 

GLORY  be  to  his  name !  All  things  need 
making  new,  for  they  are  sadly  battered  and 
worn  by  sin.  It  is  time  that  the  old  vesture  was 
rolled  up  and  laid  aside,  and  that  creation  put  on 
her  Sabbath  suit.  But  no  one  else  can  make  all 
things  new  except  the  Lord  who  made  them  at 
the  first ;  for  it  needs  as  much  power  to  make  out  of 
evil  as  to  make  out  of  nothing.  Our  Lord  Jesus 
has  undertaken  the  task,  and  he  is  fully  competent 
for  the  performance  of  it.  Already  he  has  com- 
menced his  labour,  and  for  centuries  he  has  per- 
severed in  making  new  the  hearts  of  men,  and 
the  order  of  society.  By-and-by  he  will  make  new 
the  whole  constitution  of  human  government,  and 
human  nature  shall  be  changed  by  his  grace  ;  and 
there  shall  come  a  day  when  even  the  body  shall  be 
made  new,  and  raised  like  unto  his  glorious  body. 

What  a  joy  to  belong  to  a  kingdom  in  which 
everything  is  being  made  new  by  the  power  of  its 
King  1  We  are  not  dying  out  :  we  are  hastening  on 
to  a  more  glorious  life.  Despite  the  opposition  of 
the  powers  of  evil,  our  glorious  Lord  Jesus  is  ac- 
complishing his  purpose,  and  making  us,  and  all 
things  about  us,  "■new"  and  as  full  of  beauty  as 
when  they  first  came  from  the  hand  of  the  Lord. 


35°  jFait|[)'0  Cfjcque  Buok.  Dec.  15. 

''And  they  shall  heat  their  swords  into  plo7vshares,  and 
their  spears  into  pruningliooks :  nation  shall  not  lift  up 
sword  against  nation,  neither  shall  they  learn  war  any 
more." — Isa.  ii.  4. 

OH,  that  these  happy  times  were  come  !  At 
present  the  nations  are  heavily  armed,  and 
are  inventing  weapons  more  and  more  terrible,  as 
if  the  chief  end  of  man  could  only  be  answered  by 
destroying  myriads  of  his  fellows.  Yet  peace  will 
prevail  one  day ;  yes,  and  so  prevail  that  the 
instruments  of  destruction  shall  be  beaten  into 
other  shapes  and  used  for  better  purposes. 

How  will  this  come  about  ?  By  trade  ?  By 
civilization  ?  By  arbitration  ?  We  do  not  believe 
it.  Past  experience  forbids  our  trusting  to  means 
so  feeble.  Peace  will  be  established  only  by  the 
reign  of  the  Prince  of  Peace.  He  must  teach  the 
people  by  his  Spirit,  renew  their  hearts  by  his 
grace,  and  reign  over  them  by  his  supreme  power, 
and  then  will  tliey  cease  to  wound  and  kill.  Man 
is  a  monster  when  once  his  blood  is  up,  and  only 
the  Lord  Jesus  can  turn  this  lion  into  a  lamb. 
By  changing  man's  heart,  his  blood-thirsty  passions 
are  removed.  Let  every  reader  of  this  book  of  pro- 
mises offer  special  prayer  to-day  to  the  Lord  and 
Giver  of  Peace,  that  he  would  speedily  put  an  end 
to  war,  and  establish  concord  over  the  v/hole  world. 


Dec.  i6.  JFnitb's  Cljcque  Book.  351 

^^Thou  shalt  drive  out  the  Canaanites,  though  they  havi 
iron  chariots,  and  though  they  be  strong." — josh  xvii.  18. 

IT  is  a  great  encouragement  to  valour  to  be 
assured  of  victory,  for  then  a  man  goes  forth 
to  war  in  confidence,  and  ventures  where  else  he 
had  been  afraid  to  go.  Our  warfare  is  with  evil 
within  us  and  around  us,  and  we  ought  to  be 
persuaded  that  we  are  able  to  get  the  victory,  and 
that  we  shall  do  so  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 
We  are  not  riding  for  a  fall,  but  to  win  ;  and  win 
we  shall.  The  grace  of  God  in  its  omnipotence  is 
put  forth  for  the  overthrow  of  evil  in  every  form  : 
hence  the  certainty  of  triumph. 

Certain  of  our  sins  find  chariots  of  iron  in  our 
constitution,  our  former  habits,  our  associations, 
and  our  occupations.  Nevertheless  we  must  over- 
come them.  They  are  very  strong,  and  in  reference 
to  them  we  are  very  weak  ;  yet  in  the  name  of 
God  we  must  master  them,  and  we  will.  If  one 
sin  has  dominion  of  us  we  are  not  the  Lord's  free 
men.  A  man  who  is  held  by  only  one  chain  is 
still  a  captive.  There  is  no  going  to  heaven  with 
one  sin  ruling  within  us,  for  of  the  saints  it  is  said, 
"  Sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over  you."  Up,  then, 
and  slay  every  Canaanite,  and  break  to  shivers 
every  chariot  of  iron !  The  Lord  of  hosts  is  with 
us,  and  who  shall  resist  his  sin-destroying  power  ? 


352  jFaitlj's  (CIjequE  Book.  Dec.  17 

*^So  shall  we  ever  be  imth  the  Lord." — i  Thess.  iv.  17. 

WHILE  we  are  here  the  Lord  is  with  us,  and 
when  we  are  called  away  we  are  with  him. 
There  is  no  dividing  the  saint  from  his  Saviour. 
They  are  one,  and  they  always  must  be  one  :  Jesus 
cannot  be  without  his  own  people,  for  he  would 
be  a  head  without  a  body.  Whether  caught  up 
into  the  air,  or  resting  in  Paradise,  or  sojourning 
here,  we  are  with  Jesus ;  and  who  shall  separate  us 
from  him  ? 

What  a  joy  is  this !  Our  supreme  honour,  rest, 
comfort,  delight,  is  to  be  with  the  Lord.  We  can- 
not conceive  of  anything  which  can  surpass  or 
even  equal  this  divine  society.  By  holy  fellow- 
ship we  must  be  with  him  in  his  humiliation,  re- 
jection, and  travail,  and  then  we  shall  be  with  him 
in  his  glory.  Before  long  we  shall  be  with  him  in 
his  rest  and  in  his  royalty,  in  his  expectation  and  in 
his  manifestation.  We  shall  fare  as  he  fares,  and 
triumph  as  he  triumphs. 

O  my  Lord,  if  I  am  to  be  for  ever  with  thee,  I 
have  a  destiny  incomparable.  I  will  not  envy  an 
archangel.  To  be  for  ever  with  the  Lord  is  my 
idea  of  heaven  at  its  best.  Not  the  harps  of  gold, 
nor  the  crowns  unfading,  nor  the  light  unclouded, 
is  glory  to  me;  but  Jesus,  Jesus  himself,  and  mysell 
for  ever  with  him  in  nearest  and  dearest  fellowship. 


Dec.  i8.  JFat'tlj's  Cfjeqiie  Booft.  353 

*'As  birds Jlying^  so  will  the  Lord  of  hosts  defend Jiriisalcm. ' 
Isa.  xxxi.  5- 

WITH  hurrying  wing  the  mother  bird  hastens 
up  to  the  protection  of  her  young.  She 
wastes  no  time  upon  the  road  when  coming  to 
supply  them  with  food,  or  guard  them  from  danger. 
Thus  as  on  eagle's  wings  will  the  Lord  come  for 
the  defence  of  his  chosen  ;  yea,  he  will  ride  upon 
the  wings  of  the  wind. 

With  outspread  wing  the  mother  covers  her  little 
ones  in  the  nest.  She  hides  them  away  by  inter- 
posing her  own  body.  The  hen  yields  her  own 
warmth  to  her  chicks,  and  makes  her  wings  a  house, 
in  which  they  dwell  at  home.  Thus  doth  Jehovah 
himself  become  the  protection  of  his  elect.  He 
himself  is  their  refuge,  their  abode,  their  all. 

As  birds  flying,  and  birds  covering  (for  the 
word  means  both),  so  will  the  Lord  be  unto  us  : 
and  this  he  will  be  repeatedly  and  successfully.  We 
shall  be  defended  and  preserved  from  all  evil  :  the 
Lord  who  likens  himself  to  birds  will  not  be  like 
them  in  their  feebleness,  for  he  is  Jehovah  ot  hosts. 
Let  this  be  our  comfort,  that  almighty  love  will  be 
swift  to  succour,  and  sure  to  cover.  The  wing  of 
God  is  more  quick  and  more  tender  than  the  win<j- 
of  a  bird,  and  we  will  put  our  trust  under  its 
shadow  henceforth  and  for  ever. 

33 


354  JFaitl)'0  CfjequE  Book.  Dec.  19. 


'•''lie  keepeth  all  his  bones :  not  one  of  them  is  broken. " 
Ps.  xxxiv.  20. 


THIS  promise  by  the  context  is  referred  to  the 
much  afflicted  righteous  man  :  "  ]\Iany  are 
the  afflictions  of  the  righteous,  but  the  Lord  de- 
Hvcrcth  him  out  of  them  all,"  He  may  suffer  skin- 
wounds  and  flesh-wounds,  but  no  great  harm  shall 
be  done,  "not  a  bone  of  him  shall  be  broken." 

This  is  great  comfort  to  a  tried  child  of  God, 
and  comfort  which  I  dare  accept ;  for  up  to  this 
hour  I  have  suffered  no  real  damage  from  my  many 
afflictions.  I  have  neither  lost  faith,  nor  hope,  nor 
love.  Nay,  so  far  from  losing  these  bones  of 
character,  they  have  gained  in  strength  and  energy. 
I  have  more  knowledge,  more  experience,  more 
patience,  more  stability  than  I  had  before  the  trials 
came.  Not  even  my  joy  has  been  destroyed.  Many 
a  bruise  have  1  had  by  sickness,  bereavement,  de- 
pression, slander,  and  opposition  ;  but  the  bruise 
has  healed,  and  there  has  been  no  compound 
fracture  of  a  bone,  nor  even  a  simple  one.  The 
reason  is  not  far  to  seek.  If  we  trust  in  the  Lord, 
he  keeps  all  our  bones;  and  if  he  keeps  them,  we 
may  be  sure  that  not  one  of  them  is  broken. 

Come,  my  heart,  do  not  sorrow.  Thou  art  smart- 
ing, but  there  are  no  bones  broken.  Endure  hard- 
ness, and  bid  defiance  to  fear. 


Dec.  2a  jFaillj's  Cljcqiic  DooU.  355 


"/,  even  I,  am  he  that  coinforleth  you :  7vho  art  thou, 
that  thou  shouUest  be  afraid  of  a  man  that  shall  die,  and 
of  the  son  of  man  which  shall  be  made  as  grass ;  and 
for^j;ettcst  the  Lord  thy  maker,  that  hath  stretched  forth  the 
heavens,  and  laid  the  foundat'ons  of  the  earth  ;  and  hast 
feared  cou'inaa/ly  every  day  because  of  the  fury  of  the 
opt^ressor.  as  if  he  were  ready  to  destroy  ?  and  where  is 
the  fury  of  the  oppressor?" — Isa.  li.  12,  13. 

LET  the  text  itself  be  taken  as  the  portion  for 
to-day.  There  is  no  need  to  enlarge  upon 
it.  Trembling  one,  read  it,  believe  it,  feed  on  it, 
and  plead  it  before  the  Lord.  He  whom  you  fear 
is  only  a  man  after  all  ;  while  he  who  promises  to 
comfort  you  is  God,  your  Maker,  and  the  Creator 
of  heaven  and  earth.  Infinite  comfort  more  than 
covers  a  very  limited  danger. 

"  Where  is  the  fury  of  the  oppressor  ?  "  It  is  in 
the  Lord's  hand.  It  is  only  the  fury  of  a  dying 
creature ;  fury  which  will  end  as  soon  as  the  breath 
is  gone  from  the  nostril.  Why,  then,  should  we 
stand  in  awe  of  one  who  is  as  frail  as  ourselves? 
Let  us  not  dishonour  our  God  by  making  a  god  of 
puny  man.  We  can  make  an  idol  of  a  man  by 
rendering  to  him  excessive  fear  as  well  as  by 
paying  him  inordinate  love.  Let  us  treat  men  as 
men,  and  God  as  God;  and  then  we  shall  go  calmly 
on  in  the  path  of  duty,  fearing  the  Lord,  and 
fearing  nobody  else. 


35<5  iFaftlj's  CTbrquc  Booft.  Dec.  21. 

'''■  He  7vill  turn  again,  he  will  have  compassion  npon  us  ; 
he  will  subdue  our  iniquities  ;  and  thou  wilt  cast  all  their 
sins  into  the  depths  of  the  sea." — Micah  vii.  19. 

GOD  never  turns  from  his  love,  but  he  soon 
turns  from  his  wrath.  His  love  to  his  chosen 
is  according  to  his  nature,  his  anger  is  only  ac- 
cording to  his  office  :  he  loves  because  he  is  love, 
he  frowns  because  it  is  necessary  for  our  good.  He 
will  come  back  to  the  place  in  which  his  heart 
rests,  namely,  his  love  to  his  own,  and  then  he  will 
take  pity  upon  our  griefs  and  end  them. 

What  a  choice  promise  is  this — "  He  will  subdue 
our  iniquities "  !  He  will  conquer  them.  They 
try  to  enslave  us,  but  the  Lord  will  give  us  victory 
over  them  by  his  own  right  hand.  Like  the 
Canaanites,  they  shall  be  beaten,  put  under  the 
yoke,  and  ultimately  slain. 

As  for  the  guilt  of  our  sins,  how  gloriously  is 
that  removed!  "All  their  sins," — yes,  the  whole 
host  of  them  ;  "thou  wilt  cast" — only  an  almighty 
arm  could  perform  such  a  wonder ;  "  into  the 
depths  of  the  sea  " — where  Pharaoh  and  his  chariots 
went  down.  Not  into  the  shallows  out  of  which 
they  might  be  washed  up  by  the  tide,  but  into  the 
"  depths "  shall  our  sins  be  hurled.  They  are  all 
gone.  They  sank  into  the  bottom  like  a  stone. 
Hallelujah!     Hallelujah  1 


Dkc.  22.  jFni'tf)'s  Cljcquc  13ooIt.  357 


**God  is  our  refuge  and  strength,  a  very  present  help  in 
trouble." — Ps.  xlvi.  i. 

A  HELP  that  is  not  present  when  vvc  need  it  is 
of  small  value.  The  anchor  which  is  left  at 
home  is  of  no  use  to  the  seaman  in  the  hour  of 
storm  ;  the  money  which  he  used  to  have  is  of  no 
worth  to  the  debtor  when  a  writ  is  out  against  him. 
Very  few  earthly  helps  could  be  called  "  very 
present "  :  they  are  usually  far  in  the  seeking,  far 
in  the  using,  and  farther  still  when  once  used.  But 
as  for  the  Lord  our  God,  he  is  present  when  we 
seek  him,  present  when  we  need  him,  and  present 
when  we  have  already  enjoyed  his  aid. 

He  is  more  than  "  present,"  he  is  very  present. 
More  present  than  the  nearest  friend  can  be,  for  he 
is  in  us  in  our  trouble  ;  more  present  than  we  are 
to  ourselves,  for  sometimes  we  lack  presence  of 
mind.  He  is  always  present,  effectually  present, 
sympathetically  present,  altogether  present.  He 
is  present  now  if  this  is  a  gloomy  season.  Let  us 
rest  ourselves  upon  him.  He  is  our  refuge,  let  us 
hide  in  him  ;  he  is  our  strength,  let  us  array  our- 
selves with  him  ;  he  is  our  help,  let  us  lean  upon 
him  ;  he  is  our  very  present  help,  let  us  repose  in 
him  now.  We  need  not  have  a  moment's  care,  or 
an  instant's  fear.  "  The  Lord  of  hosts  is  with  us  : 
the  God  of  Jacob  is  our  refuge.'' 


3S8  iJFaitb's  CfjfquE  Baoft.  Dec.  23^ 

"y^;?^  (t/"  Joseph  he  said,  Blessed  of  the  Lord  be  his 
land,  for  the  precious  things  of  heaven,  for  the  dezc,  and 
for  the  deep  that  coucheth  beneath.^' — Deut.  xxxiii.  13. 

WE  may  be  rich  in  such  things  as  Joseph 
obtained,  and  we  may  have  them  in  a 
higher  sense.  Oh  for  "  the  precious  things  of 
heaven  "  !  Power  with  God,  and  the  manifestation 
of  power  from  God,  are  most  precious.  We  would 
enjoy  the  peace  of  God,  the  joy  of  the  Lord,  the 
glory  of  our  God.  The  benediction  of  the  three 
divine  Persons  in  love,  and  grace,  and  fellowship 
we  prize  beyond  the  most  fine  gold.  The  things 
of  earth  are  as  nothing  in  preciousness  compared 
with  the  things  of  heaven. 

"  The  dew."  How  precious  is  this !  How  we 
pray  and  praise,  when  we  have  the  dew !  What 
refreshing,  what  growth,  what  perfume,  what  life 
there  is  in  us  when  the  dew  is  about !  Above  all 
things  else,  as  plants  of  the  Lord's  own  right  hand 
planting,  we  need  the  dew  of  his  Holy  Spirit. 

"  The  deep  that  coucheth  beneath."  Surely  this 
refers  to  that  unseen  ocean  underground  which 
supplies  all  the  fresh  springs  which  make  glad  the 
earth.  Oh  to  tap  the  eternal  fountains !  This  is 
an  unspeakable  boon  ;  let  no  believer  rest  till  he 
possesses  it.  The  all-sufficiency  of  Jehovah  is  ours 
for  ever.     Let  us  resort  to  it  now. 


Dec.  24.  JFnitlj's  Cfjcquc  13ooh.  359 


^'■Thine  enemies  shall  be  found  liars  unto  t/ue." 

Deut.  xxxiii.  29. 

THAT  arch-enemy,  the  devil,  is  a  liar  from  the 
beginning ;  but  he  is  so  very  plausible  that, 
like  mother  Eve,  we  are  led  to  believe  him.  Yet  in 
our  experience  we  shall  prove  him  a  liar. 

He  says  that  we  shall  fall  from  grace,  dishonour 
our  profession,  and  perish  with  the  doom  of  apos- 
tates ;  but,  trusting  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  we  shall  hold 
on  our  way  and  prove  that  Jesus  loses  none  whom 
his  Father  gave  him.  He  tells  us  that  our  bread 
will  fail,  and  we  shall  starve  with  our  children  ;  yet 
the  Feeder  of  the  ravens  has  not  forgotten  us  yet, 
and  he  will  never  do  so,  but  will  prepare  us  a  table 
in  the  presence  of  our  enemies. 

He  whispers  that  the  Lord  will  not  deliver  us  out 
of  the  trial  which  is  looming  in  the  distance,  and 
he  threatens  that  the  last  ounce  will  break  the 
camel's  back.  What  a  liar  he  is !  For  the  Lord 
will  never  leave  us,  nor  forsake  us.  "  Let  him 
deliver  him  now  ! "  cries  the  false  fiend  :  but  the 
Lord  will  silence  him  by  coming  to  our  rescue. 

He  takes  great  delight  in  telling  us  that  death 
will  prove  too  much  for  us.  "  How  wilt  thou  do  in 
the  swelling  of  Jordan  ?"  But  there  also  he  shall 
prove  a  liar  unto  us,  and  we  shall  pass  through  the 
river  singing  psalms  of  glory. 


360  Jait!)'s  Cfjrque  Baofe.  Dec.  25. 

'''■This  same  Jesus,  which  is  taken  up  frotn  you  into  heaven^ 
shall  so  come  in  like  manner  as  ye  have  seen  him  go  into 
heaven." — Acts  i.  11. 

MANY  are  celebrating  our  Lord's  first  coming 
this  day  ;  let  us  turn  our  thoughts  to  the 
promise  of  his  second  coming.  This  is  as  sure  as 
the  first  advent,  and  derives  a  great  measure  of  its 
certainty  from  it.  He  who  came  as  a  lowly  man 
to  serve  will  assuredly  come  to  take  the  reward  of 
his  service.  He  who  came  to  suffer  will  not  be 
slow  in  coming  to  reign. 

This  is  our  glorious  hope,  for  we  shall  share 
his  joy.  To-day  we  are  in  our  concealment  and 
humiliation,  even  as  he  was  while  here  below  ;  but 
when  he  cometh  it  will  be  our  manifestation,  even 
as  it  will  be  his  revelation.  Dead  saints  shall 
live  at  his  appearing.  The  slandered  and  despised 
shall  shine  forth  as  the  su«  in  the  kingdom  of  their 
Father.  Then  shall  the  saints  appear  as  kings  and 
priests,  and  the  days  of  their  mourning  shall  be 
ended.  The  long  rest  and  inconceivable  splendour  of 
the  Millennial  reign  will  be  an  abundant  recompense 
for  the  ages  of  witnessing  and  warring. 

Oh  that  the  Lord  would  come  !  He  is  coming  ! 
He  is  on  the  road  and  travelling  quickly.  The 
sound  of  his  approach  should  be  as  music  to  our 
hearts  !     Ring  out,  ye  bells  of  hope  ! 


Die.  26.  jraii?j"3  Ci)fquc  Book  361 

"Pefer  answered  and  said  unto  him.  Though  all  men 
shall  be  offended  because  of  thee,  yet  will  I  ncx'erbe  offended." 
Matt.  xKvi.  33. 

*'  T/TT'HY,"  cries  one,  "  this  is  no  prouiist  of  God.'' 
Just  so,  but  it  was  a  promise  of  man,  and 
therefore  it  came  to  nothin-^,  Peter  thought  that 
ho  was  saying  what  he  should  assuredly  carry  out ; 
but  a  promise  which  has  no  better  foundation  than 
a  human  resolve  will  fall  to  the  ground.  No  sooner 
did  temptation  arise  than  Peter  denied  his  Master, 
and  used  oaths  to  confirm  his  denial. 

What  is  man's  word  ?  An  earthen  pot  broken  with 
a  stroke.  What  is  your  own  resolve  ?  A  blossom, 
which,  with  God's  care,  may  come  to  fruit,  but 
which,  left  to  itself,  will  fall  to  the  ground  with  the 
first  wind  that  mo\es  the  bough. 

On  man's  word  hang  only  what  it  will  bear. 

On  thine  own  resolve  depend  not  at  all. 

On  the  promise  of  thy  God  hang  time  and 
eternity,  this  world  and  the  next,  thine  all  and  the 
all  of  all  thy  beloved  ones. 

This  volume  is  a  cheque-book  for  believers,  and 
this  page  is  meant  as  a  warning  as  to  what  bank 
they  draw  upon,  and  whose  signature  they  accept. 
Rely  upon  Jesus  without  limit.  Trust  not  thyself 
nor  any  born  of  woman,  beyond  due  bounds  ;  but 
trust  thou  only  and  wholly  in  the  Lord. 


362  iTntllj's  Cljrrjuc  13.ick.  Dec.  27. 

'•'■For  the  moiuitains  shall  depart,  and  the  hills  be 
icmoi^cd ;  but  my  kindness  shall  not  depart  from  thee, 
neither  shall  the  covetiant  of  my  peace  be  removed,  sait/i 
the  Lord  that  hath  mercy  on  thee.'''' — Isa.  liv.  10. 

ONE  of  the  most  delightful  qualities  of  divine 
love  is  its  abiding  character.  The  pillars 
of  the  earth  may  be  moved  out  of  their  places,  but 
the  kindness  and  the  covenant  of  our  merciful 
Jehovah  never  depart  from  his  people.  How  happy 
my  soul  feels  in  a  firm  belief  of  this  inspired 
declaration .'  The  year  is  almost  over,  and  the 
years  of  my  life  are  growing  few,  but  time  does 
not  change  my  Lord.  New  lamps  are  taking  the 
place  of  the  old,  perpetual  change  is  on  all  things  ; 
but  our  Lord  is  the  same.  Force  overturns  the 
hills,  but  no  conceivable  power  can  affect  the 
eternal  God.  Nothing  in  the  past,  the  present,  or 
the  future  can  cause  Jehovah  to  be  unkind  to  me. 

My  soul,  rest  in  tJie  eternal  kindness  of  the  Lord, 
who  treats  thee  as  one  near  of  kin.  Remember 
also  the  everlasting  covenant.  God  is  ever  mindful 
of  it — see  that  thou  art  mindful  of  it  too.  In  Christ 
Jesus  the  glorious  God  has  pledged  himself  to  thee 
to  be  thy  God,  and  to  hold  thee  as  one  of  his 
people.  Kindness  and  covenant — dwell  on  these 
words  as  sure  and  lasting  things  which  eternity 
itself  shall  not  take  from  thee. 


Dec.  28.  ^adlj's  (Tfj  que  13ooIt.  ^^^^ 

*'I/e  Jiath  said,   I  will  never  have  Ihce,    Jior  forsake 
thee."—\\eh.  xiii.  5. 

SEVERAL  times  in  the  Scriptures  the  Lord 
hath  said  this.  He  has  often  repeated  it,  to 
make  our  assurance  doubly  sure.  Let  us  never 
narbour  a  doubt  of  it.  In  itself  the  promise  is 
specially  emphatic.  In  the  Greek  it  has  five  nega- 
tives, each  one  definitely  shutting  out  the  possibility 
of  the  Lord's  ever  leaving  one  of  his  people  so 
that  he  can  justly  feel  forsaken  of  his  God.  This 
priceless  Scripture  docs  not  promise  us  exemp- 
tion from  trouble,  but  it  does  secure  us  against 
desertion.  We  may  be  called  to  traverse  strange 
ways,  but  we  shall  always  have  our  Lord's  com- 
pany, assistance,  and  provision.  We  need  not 
covet  money,  for  we  shall  always  have  our  God, 
and  God  is  better  than  gold,  his  favour  is  better 
than  fortune. 

We  ought  surely  to  be  content  with  such  things 
as  we  have,  for  he  who  has  God  has  more  than  all 
the  world  besides.  What  can  we  have  beyond  the 
Infinite  ?  What  more  can  we  desire  than  Almighty 
Goodness. 

Come,  my  heart ;  if  God  says  he  will  never  leave 
thee,  nor  forsake  thee,  be  thou  much  in  prayer  for 
grace,  that  thou  mayest  never  leave  thy  Lord,  nor 
even  for  a  moment  forsake  his  ways. 


364  iFaitlj's  CIjcqiiE  15joi{.  Dec   29. 

'■•And  even  to  your  old  a^:^e  I  am  he ;  and  even  to  hoar 
hairs  wll  I  car/y  yo2(:  I  have  made,  and  1 7u:ll  bear;  even 
J  loill  carry,  and  will  deliver  you." — Isa.  xlvi.  4. 

THE  year  is  very  old,  and  here  is  a  promise  for 
our  aged  friends  ;  yes,  and  for  us  all,  as  age 
creeps  over  us.  Let  us  live  long  enough,  and  we 
shiil  all  have  hoar  hairs  ;  therefore  we  may  as  well 
enjoy  this  promise  by  the  foresight  of  faith. 

When  we  grow  old  our  God  will  still  be  the 
I  AM,  abiding  evermore  the  same.  Hoar  hairs 
tell  of  our  decay,  but  he  decayeth  not.  When  we 
cannot  carry  a  burden,  and  can  hardly  carry  ourselves, 
the  Lord  will  carry  us.  Even  as  in  our  young  days 
he  carried  us  like  lambs  in  his  bosom,  so  will  he  in 
our  years  of  infirmity. 

He  made  us,  and  he  will  care  for  us.  When  we 
become  a  burden  to  our  friends,  and  a  burden  to 
ourselves,  the  Lord  will  not  shake  us  off,  but  the 
rather  he  will  take  us  up  and  carry  and  deliver  us 
more  fully  than  ever.  In  many  cases  the  Lord 
gives  his  servants  a  long  and  calm  evening.  They 
worked  hard  all  day  and  wore  themselves  out  in 
their  Master's  service,  and  so  he  said  to  them,  "Now 
rest  in  anticipation  of  that  eternal  Sabbath  which 
I  have  prepared  for  you."  Let  us  not  dread  old 
age.  Let  us  grow  old  graciously,  since  the  Lord 
himself  is  with  us  in  fulness  of  grace. 


Dec.  30.  jTnitlj's  Cljcquc  13ocIt.  365 

^NaTing  loTed  his  otvn  70/1  irh  uure  in  the  icon  J,  he 
loved  them  unto  the  <nd." — John  xiii.  i. 

THIS  fact  is  essentially  a  promise;  for  what  our 
Lord  was  he  is,  and  what  he  was  to  those 
with  whom  he  hved  on  earth,  he  will  be  to  all  his 
beloved  so  long  as  the  moon  endureth. 

''  Having  loved :"  here  was  the  wonder!  That  he 
should  ever  have  loved  men  at  all  is  the  marvel. 
What  was  there  in  his  poor  disciples  that  he  should 
love  them  ?     What  is  there  in  me? 

But  when  he  has  once  begun  to  love,  it  is  his 
nature  to  continue  to  do  so.  Love  made  the  saints 
"  liis  own  " — what  a  choice  title  !  He  purchased 
them  with  blood  and  they  became  his  treasure. 
Being  his  own,  he  will  not  lose  them.  Being  his 
beloved,  he  will  not  cease  to  love  them.  My  soul, 
he  will  not  cease  to  love  thee  ! 

The  text  is  well  as  it  stands  :  "to  the  end  I'  even  till 
his  death  the  ruling  passion  of  love  to  his  own 
reigned  in  his  sacred  bosom.  It  means  also  to  the 
uttennost.  He  could  not  lov^e  them  more  :  he  ga\'c 
himself  for  them.  Some  read  it, /i' /5rr/iv/w//.  Truly 
he  lavished  upon  them  a  perfect  love,  in  which  thcro 
was  no  flaw  nor  failure,  no  unwisdom,  no  unfaithful- 
ness, and  no  reserve. 

Such  is  the  love  of  Jesus  to  each  one  of  his 
people.     Let  us  sing  to  our  Wt- 11- be  loved  a  sung. 


366  j)Fait!)'3  Cheque  Book  Dec.  31. 

"  Thou  shalt  guide  me  with  thy  counsel^  and  afterward 
receive  me  to  glory." — Ps.  lx>ciii.  •.  |. 

FROM  day  to  day  and  from  year  to  year  my 
faith  believes  in  the  wisdom  and  love  of 
God,  and  I  know  that  I  shall  not  believe  in  vain. 
No  good  word  of  his  has  ever  failed,  and  I  am 
sure  that  none  shall  ever  fall  to  the  ground. 

I  put  myself  into  his  hand  for  guidance.  I  know 
not  the  way  that  I  should  choose :  the  Lord  shall 
choose  mine  inheritance  for  me.  I  need  counsel  and 
advice  ;  for  my  duties  are  intricate,  and  my  condition 
is  involved.  I  seek  to  the  Lord,  as  the  High  Priest 
of  old  looked  to  his  Urim  and  Thummim.  The 
counsel  of  the  infallible  God  I  seek  in  preference  to 
my  own  judgment  or  the  advice  of  friends.  Glorious 
Jehovah,  thou  shalt  guide  me! 

Soon  the  end  will  come  :  a  few  more  years,  and  J 
must  depart  out  of  this  world  unto  the  Father.  My 
Lord  will  be  near  my  bed.  He  will  meet  me  at 
heaven's  gate  :  he  will  welcome  me  to  the  glory- 
land.  I  shall  not  be  a  stranger  in  heaven  :  my  own 
God  and  Father  will  receive  me  to  its  endless  bliss 

Glory  be  to  Him  who  will  guide  me  here, 

AND    receive   me   HEREAFTER.      AmEN. 


INDEX  OF  SCRIPTURE  TEXTS. 


Genesis. 

DeuT. — conlii 

tied. 

I  .Sam. — continufd. 

Chap.  &  Verse 

Page 

Chap  &  Verse 

Page 

Chap.  &  Verse 

Pa  e 

iii.  15     

I 

xii.  28    

29 

xii   22     ...      ... 

166 

ix.   14     

II 

xiii.  17 

128 

x^i'  n 

53 

xiii.  14,  15     ... 

43 

XV.  iS    

117 

xvii.  47 

71 

xvii.  7    

214 

XX.  4      

169 

xxviii.  13 

3 

xxviii.  2,  3     ... 

11 

2  Samuel 

xxviii.  15 

30 

xxviii.  3 

44 

V.  24      

124 

xxxii.  12 

H9 

xxviii.  5 

68 

vii.  29    

296 

xlviii.  21 

'83 

xxviii.  6 

254 

xxii.  29 

225 

xlix.  19 

132 

xxviii   8 

333 

xxiii.  5 

243 

1.24       

276 

xxviii.  10 

98 

xxviii.  12 

I4f' 

I  Kings. 

Exodus. 

xxviii.  13 

88 

xi.  39     

227 

iii.  12     

17 

XXX.  3     

126 

iv.  12     

215 

XXX.  6     

286 

2  Kings. 

vii;  5         

viii.  23   

21 
303 

xxxi.  8 

xxxiii.  12 

335 
262 

358 
72 

iii.  16,  17      ... 
vi.  16     

309 
2^0 

xi.  7       

xii.  13    

36 

xxxiii.  13 
xxxiii.  18 

X  .X.  32    

xxii.  19 

175 
94 

xxiii   22 

345 

xxxiii.  25 

201 

xxiii   25 

>47 

xxxiii.  28 

164 

I  Chronicles. 

xxiii.  2i 

95 

xxxiii.  28 

257 

xxxiii.  I  |. 

332 

xxxiii.  29 

359 

xxviii.  9 

231 

Leviticus 

Joshua. 

2  Chronicles. 

i-  4 

iv.  7       

xxii.  II 

23 
283 
216 

i-  5 

i-7--     

xvii.  18 

xxiii.  10 

109 

220 

•  351 

145 

vii.  14    

XV.  7      

XX.  17     

XXV.  9    

287 

48 

249 

176 

Numbers 

Job. 

JUDfiES. 

vi.  24     

217 

XV.  25    

302 

iv.  9       

•   173 

V.  19      

233 

38 

xxi.  8     

lOI 

vi.  14      

.   I  So 

xxii.  23 

xxxiii.  27,  28 

xxiii.  9 

270 

xiii.  23 

.  269 

25 

xxiii.  23 

26 

I  Samuel. 

Psalms. 

Deutero.nomy. 

ii.  7        

•  223 

vi.  9        

.  158 

i.  21       

219 

ii-  9        

•     24 

ix.  18     

.    IS 

TiL  22    

328 

ii-  30      

.     64 

xvi.  8     

.  337 

368 


INDEX    OF    SCRIPTURE   TEXTS. 


Ts.M.^i'i— continued. 


Chap.  &  Verse 

Page 

xvi    lo    ...      . 

■       &3 

xvii.  15   ... 

•    277 

xviii.  28...      . 

.    271 

xxiii.  4   ... 

.    172 

xxiii.  6  ... 

.      60 

xxvii.  14 

.    250 

xxix.  II  ... 

.    342 

XXX.  5 

•    234 

xxxii    10 

•     45 

xxxiii.  21 

■   130 

xxxiv.  7 

.   190 

xxxiv.  20 

•  354 

xxxvii.  3 

•  34'J 

xxxvii.  4 

•  3" 

xxxvii.  31 

.  218 

xli.  I       ...      . 

.     22 

xli.  3       ...     . 

.     86 

xlvi.  I     ...     . 

•  357 

xlvii.  4   ... 

•  105 

xlviii.  14 

•  1S5 

1.  15        ...     . 

•  213 

Iv.  16      ...     . 

.  241 

Iv.   22 

.  196 

Iviii.  II  ...      . 

.  232 

Ixii.  I      ...     . 

.  224 

Ixxii.  12... 

•  144 

Ixxiii.  24 

.  366 

Ixxvi.  10 

•  235 

Ixxxi.  10 

•  274 

Ixxxiv.  II 

•  307 

Ixxxiv.  II 

•     79 

xci.  4      

•  339 

xci.  14    ...      . 

.   136 

xcii.  12 

.  261 

xciv.  14 

•  322 

xcvii.  u 

•  297 

ci.  6        

.  191 

cii.  13,  14      .. 

.   192 

ciii.  9     

•  329 

cvii.  9     

•  325 

«-3      

.  264 

PsAI.MS — conlinncd. 

Chap.  &  Verse  Page 

«'•  5     275 

cxu.  7     58 

CXV.    12 46 

cxv.  13 52 

cxviii.  17       ...  305 

cxix.  80 171 

cxix.  165        ...  100 

cxxi.  3 315 

cxxi.  4    318 

cxxvi.  5 292 

cxxvii.  2         ...  184 

cxxviii.  5       ...  167 

cxxxviii.  7     ...  143 

cxxxviii.  8     ...  118 

cxl.  13    179 

cxlv.  19 49 

cxlvi.  7 67 

cxlvi.  8 113 

Proverbs. 

iii.  23     81 

iii.  24     85 

iii.  25,  26      ...  91 

iii-.  33     65 

viii.  17 236 

X.  9         336 

X.  24      106 

X.  27       174 

xi.  25     9 

xi.  25      10 

xii.  19    57 

xiii.  13 291 

XV.  8       78 

xvi.  7      108 

xix.  17    112 

XX.  7       116 

XX.  22       120 

xxiii.  17,  18  ...  127 

xxvii.   18        ...  133 

xxviii.  10       ...  138 

xxviii.  13       ...  229 

xxviii.  14       ...  253 


ECCLF.SIASTES. 
Chap.  &  Verse        Pag« 

xi.  I         = 153 

xi.  3        142 

Isaiah. 

i'-  4       350 

xxvii.  3 165 

xxviii.  16       ...  334 

XXX.  15 347 

XXXI.  5 353 

xxxii.  2 259 

xxxiii.  10       ...  170 

xxxiii.  16       ...  340 

xxxiii.  21        ...  266 

XXXV.  8 92 

xli.  10     5 

xli.  10    6 

xli.  10    39 

xlii.  3     252 

xlii.  16 83 

xliii.  2    341 

xliv.  3     42 

xliv.  21 96 

xlv.  2      141 

xlv.  22    326 

xlvi.  4    364 

xlviii.  10 240 

xlix.  13 189 

1.  7 221 

li.    12,   13  ...    355 

liii.  10  18 

liv.  4  163 

liv.  10  362 

liv.  17  321 

Iv.  12  122 

Ivii.  16 310 

Iviii.  II 51 

Ix.  22  295 

Ixi.  6  56 

Ixii.  4  282 

Ixv.  24 226 

Ixvi.  5  61 

Ixvi.  13 74 


INDEX    OF   SCRIPTURE   TEXTS. 


369 


Jeremiah 

ITosEA — eoiithiuc  f. 

ZlCHAKIAH. 

Chap.  &  Verse 

L  6,  7    

i.  8 

Page 
73 

77 

Ch.np.  &  Verse 

li.    16,  17 

ii.   18        ...      . 

Patre 
..    208 
.,        4 

Chap.  &  Verse 
iv.  7       

X.    12         

Page 

330 

2S5 

XV.  19      

140 

ii.  19,  20 

..    204 

xii    8      

323 

40 

XV.  20     

298 

vi.  I       ...     . 

■•   «35 

xiii.  9      

xxix.  7 

69 

vi.  3       ...     . 

..  246 

xiv.  7     

348 

97 
107 

XXX.    II    

293 

xi.  9 

••     47 

xiv.  9      

xiv.  20    

xxxi.  12 

242 

xiv.  3     ...     . 

..     66 

xxxi.  14 

317 

xxxi.  34 

IC2 

JOKL. 

xxxi.  34 

103 

Malachi 

xxxiii.  3 

181 

ii.  25    ...   . 

•  •   139 

iii.  10      

"5 

xxxix.  17 

187 

ii.  32    ...   . 

..     16 

iii.  17      

156 

xxxix.  18 

195 

iv.  2        

32 

1.  20       

327 

Amos. 

iv.  2        

33 

Lamentations. 

ix.  9        ...     . 

..  267 

Matthew 

••'•  27    

255 

MiCAH. 

i.  21         

294 

iii.  31     

12 

V.7 

••  279 

iv.  4        

186 

EZEKIEL. 

vii.  7        ...      . 

••     31 

V.  4 

197 

vii.  8 

..   125 

V.  7 

'37 

xi.  16     

75 

vii.  19    ...     . 

••  356 

V.  8 

8 

xvi.  60 

182 

vi.  3.4 

62 

XX- 43    

27 

Nahum 

vi.  30     

80 

xxxiv.  II 
xxxiv.  15 

no 

238 

i.  12        ...     . 

..     50 

vi-  33     

X.  32      

299 

2S8 

xxxiv.  22 

239 

i.  13        ...     . 

..   154 

X.  42       

260 

xxxiv.  25 

33^ 

xi.  28      

14 

168 

xxxiv.  30 

3'4 

IIabakkuk. 

xiii.  12    

xxxvi.  25 

304 

ii.  3 

..  308 

XX.  7       

129 

xxxvii.  13 

247 

iii.    19     ...     . 

..   155 

xxiv.  22 

300 

x'vii.  9 

268 

xxvi.  33 

361 

Daniel. 

Zephaniah. 

xxvi.  64 

«5i 

xi.  32     

199 

iii.  12 

iii.  13      ... 

..   161 
..   162 

Mark. 

xii   3       

203 

xii.  13    

207 

iii.  15     ...     . 
ill.  17     ...     . 

..   211 

..   263 

i-  17       

ix.  23     

150 
344 

HOSEA. 

iii.   19     ... 

..   iy8 

xvi.  7     

281 

i.  7 

24S 

i.  10      

251 

Haggai 

Like. 

ii.  14      

200 

ii.  19 

••  324 

xviii.  14 

312 

370 


INDEX   OF   SCRIPTURE    TEXTS. 


John. 


Cb.ip.  &  Verse 

Page 

i.    50         ... 

••         7 

I.  sr       ... 

..    177 

111.  16     ... 

..   icS8 

vi.  37     ... 

••     13 

vi.  57     ... 

..  2S9 

X.  28      ... 

••   159 

xi.  26     ... 

••   193 

xii.  26    ... 

••  343 

xii.  32    ... 

..  278 

xii.  46    ... 

..     70 

xili.  I 

•■  365 

xiv.  13   ... 

..   228 

xiv.  14   ... 

••  319 

xiv.  18   ... 

••     35 

xiv.  19  ... 

..  290 

XV.  2 

..  222 

XV.  7 

••     54 

XV.  7 

••     55 

XV.  10    ... 

••  245 

xvi.  13   ... 

..  280 

xvi.  14   ... 

••  273 

xvi.  20  ... 

••  331 

xvi.  22   ... 

..  212 

xvi.  33   ... 

..  152 

Acts. 

i.  11 

..  360 

xiii.  34  ... 

..  209 

xvi_  31    ... 

..  2i;6 

xviii.  10... 

..     89 

xxii.  15  ... 

..    41 

xxiii.  II... 

..     99 

Romans 

Cliap   &  Verse 
i.  17 


VI.   14 
viii.  32 
x.  9 
xvi.  20 


Pnge 

I II 

265 

316 

34 

19 

2 


1  Corinthians. 

.  19      237 

2  Corinthians. 


vi.  16 
xii.  9 


119 
313 


Galatians. 
vi.  8       123 

PhILII'PIANS. 


111.  21  .. 

iv.  6,  7  .. 

iv.  9 

iv.  19  .. 


104 
90 
76 

320 


I  Thessalonians. 


IV.  17 

V.  24 


352 
306 


2  Thessalonians. 

iii-  3       84 

I  Timothy. 
iv.  IS     93 


Hebrews. 

Chap.  &  Verse        Pas:* 
iv.  9 
ix.  28 


X.  17 

X-  34 

xiii.  5 
xiii.  6 


James 


1.5.. 
i.  12 

iv.  6 
iv.  8 


1   Peter. 


1-  25 
V.  6 


2  Peter. 


272 

202 

205 

5S 

131 


160 

25S 
82 

87 
178 


244 
210 


148 

194 


Revelation. 

•  7 
.  II 

•  17 
.28 

i-  5 

i.  8 
xxi.  4 
xxi.  5 
xxii.  3, 


20 
114 

121 

134 

206 

284 

28 

349 
301 


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only  sufficient  solution. 

Part  I.  considers  THE  FACTS  OF  LIFE  in  answer  to  these  five  questions: 
What  am  I?  Where  am  I?  Whence  am  I?  Whither  am  I  Going?  What 
IS  Mv  Relation  to  mv  Situation,  mv  Origin,  my  Future  ?  The  discussion  of 
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the  summation  of  the  final  chapter  the  answer  is  complete. 

Part  II.  logically  rounds  out  the  volume  by  giving  THE  INTERPRETATION 
OF  THE  FACTS.  Here  the  author  examiiies,^rj/,  The  Fundamental  Requisites 
OF  AN  Interpretation  ;  secondly.  The  Schemes  Proposed  ;  and  concludes  with  the 
proof  that  Christianity  alone  is  able  to  meet  all  the  tests. 

THE  WORK  IS  FOR  ALL  CLASSES,  and  will  appeal  to  student  and  scholar  alike. 
But  its  main  purpose  is  to  reach  that  large  class  among  the  people  which  desires  and 
needs  a  simple,  clear-cut  discussion  of  the  practical  question  of  faith,  from  the  stand- 
point of  every-day  life.  Of  these.  Dr.  Gregory  says  in  his  Introduction  :  "  They 
■will  fitid  the  book  unique.  There  is  no  other  with  -which  we  are  acquainted  that 
attempts  to  cover  its  ground.  *  *  *  It  will  be  found  a  connected  and  sustained 
argument  throughout,  organized  into  a  complete  whole  of  thought.  *  *  *  It  will 
help  to  lead  out  of  the  shadows  of  the  skepticism  of  the  age  into  the  clear  light  of  the 
Sun  of  Righteousness." 

Rev.  Dr.  FRANCIS  L.  PA  TTON  says  :  "  I  heartily  concur  wiih 
Dr.  Gregory  in  the  desire  he  expresses  to  see  Mr.  Barr's  work  in  print. 
It  is  designed  to  meet  the  objections  which  men  are  constantly  confronted 
with  in  regard  to  the  Christian  religion.  Mr.  Barr  has  done  his  work 
carefully,  conscientiously,  and  well." 

A ly OTHER  EMINENT  CRITIC  says  :  "  This  is  an  unique 
and  veiy  remarkable  work.  It  shows  maturity  of  thought,  great  scientific 
skill  and  acuteness  in  arrangement  and  analysis,  and  a  wide  sweep  of 
investigation.  It  is,  in  my  judgment,  a  masterly  treatise  on  the  ground 
problem  of  human  life." 


Copies  sent  by  mail,  postpaid,  on  receipt  of  price  by  Pttblishers, 

A.    C.  ARMSTRONG    &    SON,    714    Broadway,    New    York* 


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